RECITAL REVIEW: Perfection In Guitar Playing By Saul Gropman (John Williams, October 24, 1999)

RECITAL REVIEW Perfection In Guitar Playing

October 24, 1999

By Saul Gropman

The hallmarks of a John Williams guitar recital have always been superior technical excellence, remarkable ease, and poised elegance. Sunday's performance at Herbst Theater, under the auspices of San Francisco Performances, did not disappoint if the evening offered a few curiosities. Amplification in his previous Davies Hall engagements was understandable but his choice to do so in the 1300-seat Herbst Theater was odd. Although the move to that venue sympathetic to the intimacy of the classical guitar seemed a good one, the amplified guitar there lacked some of the introspection associated with the classical, acoustic instrument.

Williams departed from the order of the printed program at the outset, replacing a Medieval Suite with Bach's Suite for Lute in E major, BWV 1006A and interrupting the suite after the Prelude to announce that the change in program order was made to accommodate seating of latecomers. Why not open with the less formidable, anonymous Medieval Suite and leave continuous the presentation of the major Bach work?

At any rate, after the interruption, Williams sailed with characteristic fluency through the Suite for Lute, a work ostensibly transcribed by Bach from his Partita No. 3 for unaccompanied violin. In today's world of studied baroque performance practice, there are perhaps more scholarly performances that would include some creative ornamentation, but Williams played with a rhythmic solidity, fluid sense of line and a romantic rather than a Baroque rubato. There were also uncharacteristic accents, disassociated color changes, and surprising glissandos from time to time.

Williams seemed more in his element in a set of pieces by Albéniz. Although transcriptions of piano pieces, these works seem born to the guitar. Mallorca is a tableau of Mediterranean life on that Spanish isle. Cordoba conjures up the mix of Spanish, Moslem and Jewish cultures so integral to that Andalucian town. In Williams' evocative interpretation, notes rang out with a bell-like quality, and his playing was filled with swells and nuances that lent a sort of mysticism to the folk- inspired music.

And From The Near East

The second half of the program was devoted to more recent works written or arranged for guitar. Carlo Domeniconi's Koyunbaba (1985), was impressive, with its odd tuning (the guitar is tuned, quite dramatically, in c# minor) and fantasy-like composition. Four distinct sections are developed and intermingled in an Eastern-influenced modality inspired by the Italian composer's years living and teaching in Turkey. The work is by turns both interesting and pleonastic, yet it melds into a compelling piece.

Even more successful was Australian composer Phillip Houghton's four-movement "Stélé," inspired by Greek art and mythology. Although Houghton's musical background is primarily in rock, jazz and folk, his vocabulary in the classical guitar medium is well established, with compositional techniques that avoid the trite and overworked. Most impressive was the third movement, "Bronze Apollo," with its moto perpetuo pattern.

Williams also performed Three Epitafios, by the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. Originally recorded by Williams in 1971, these are written with a combination of melodic lyricism and contrapuntal elegance. Williams gave them all the required strength, clarity and passion. Responding to a dramatic standing ovation, Williams returned to perform three short pieces by Camaroonian ethno-musicologist Bebe.

As the young prodigy brought to the world's attention by Andrés Segovia and throughout his career of some forty years, Williams has always exemplified the ideals of his maestro, the supreme reigning master of the classical guitar. At 58 years, Williams shows a remarkable technique and complete facility with his instrument. His playing is nothing short of perfect.

(Saul Gropman is a Lecturer in Music, San Francisco State University, and Artistic Director, Morrison Artists Series)