Tempo di borea – DoubleĠ0:49:37 Sonata No. Italian by birth, Teopini himself is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, currently resident as a teacher and performer in Hong Kong, with a repertoire ranging from Bach through the Classical Spanish repertoire to contemporary works, several of which he has commissioned and premiered by composers including Gian Carlo Mantovani and Fausto Tuscano. There is naturally greater opportunity for ornamentation, which Teopini takes with discretion. Elsewhere he has borne in mind the art of the clavecin, which no less relevant to the guitar as an instrument of Bach’s time than the original violin. His arrangement is relatively discreet, adding just a few more bass notes to amplify chords in movements such as the famous Chaconne which is the climax of the cycle. In a useful booklet-note, Teopini himself notes that these works are now standard repertoire for guitarists, even mandatory for the sake of personal development, as perhaps Bach is for every musician regardless of instrument. His interpretation shows a deep understanding of these major works.’ Many guitarists have already gone where more cautious spirits would fear to tread and made their own transcriptions this new version carries the imprimatur of David Russell, one of the most internationally acclaimed guitarists of his generation, who writes that Francesco Teopini ‘plays with a beautiful sound, faithfully recorded. Why transcribe and perform the sonatas and partitas for solo violin on the guitar? It is surely the works themselves that provide the justification their indestructible melodic poetry and their rich implied counterpoint at which the original violin can only hint. Online purchase or streaming (Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer, Google Play and more): Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Classical Guitar (Full Album) Bach Bourree in e minor for classical guitar Classical Guitar Music to Play: Gavotte by J.S. Mastering pieces such as this offers a great learning experience for any fingerstyle guitarist, because it not only teaches picking-hand techniques that are independent of set patterns but also demonstrates excellent form and structure. Pay special attention to the fingering in bars 17 and 22, as it’s easy to get your fingers tied up in knots if you’re not careful. If you’re having difficulty with the independence of the movements, try learning the melody and bass line separately, one at a time, fusing them together after you’re comfortable with each. Even though it isn’t overly complex or difficult to play, it is a beautiful representation of Bach’s sense of harmony and counterpoint, with distinct bass and melody lines moving so perfectly against each other that it may give you the chills as you play the piece. The Bourrée in E minor makes for an excellent introduction to Bach’s music. This is because “Bourrée” actually refers to a dance popular in France’s Auvergne region during the 17th century, and the name has been used for countless compositions of the Baroque period. Thanks to its popularity outside the classical realm, referring to the piece merely as “the Bach Bourrée” will generally allow people to recall the correct tune, but you’ll probably want to be more specific when trying to impress your classically trained friends. Their decidedly nonclassical performance provided the blueprint for an arrangement often performed live (but never officially released) by Michael Hedges-playing flute!-and electric bass virtuoso Michael Manring. British rockers Jethro Tull included a jazzed-up band version on their 1969 album Stand Up. Since then, the piece has made its way onto countless classical guitar recordings, and it has a firm place in the repertoire.Ĭlassical guitarists aren’t the only ones to cut their teeth on the Bourrée. Andrés Segovia recorded a version of it in 1947. 1, and it was adapted for guitar in the 20th century, after the instrument earned acceptance in classical circles. Bach wrote the Bourrée sometime after 1712 (the exact date is unknown) as part of his Lute Suite No. For many classical guitar students, tackling the “Bourrée in E minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) is a rite of passage from playing mere exercises to playing music that many non-musicians will recognize and appreciate.