Dale Kavanagh - Domeniconi: Chaconne / Villa-Lobos: Guitar Concerto (Excerpt) / Kavanagh: 3 Preludes / Briny Ocean (2007)

Tracklist

01. Chaconne (After J.S. Bach's BWV 1004)
02. Chansons et danses: Cancion y Danza No. 1
03. 3 Preludes: No. 1, Rubato
04. 3 Preludes: No. 2, Gently rocking
05. 3 Preludes: No. 3, Moderato
06. Guitar Concerto: 2nd movement (Arr. D. Kavanagh)
07. 2 Etudes: No. 1, Arpeggio study
08. 2 Etudes: No. 2
09. E
10. Libelulas
11. Lulla by Melissa
12. Briny Ocean
13. Kol Nidrei

Dale Kavanagh's recordings for Haenssler should excite fans of guitar music, not only because of her impressive technique and consummate artistry, but also for her unusual selections, which are always interesting and often quite new. This Canadian-born performer is not content to bring out collections that merely retrace steps taken by other guitarists before her, so many of her albums consist of pieces by contemporary composers, and even include original works of her own. This 2007 release is noteworthy for its emphasis on new music for solo guitar, and aside from the classic Cancion y Danza No. 1 by Antonio Ruiz Pipó and Kavanagh's transcription of the second movement from Heitor Villa-Lobos' Guitar Concerto, the music is by rising composers who, in most cases, have written specifically for her abilities. Carlo Domeniconi's Chaconne, Winy Kellner's E, Jorge Cardoso's Libelulas, and Roland Dyens' Lulla by Melissa were all dedicated to Kavanagh, and these pieces, along with Syd Robinovitch's Kol Nidrei, demonstrate her interest in playing the challenging but accessible guitar music of her generation. Her own demanding yet attractive music fits in well with this general aesthetic, and her Three Preludes, Two Etudes, and the imagistic Briny Ocean are reflective in mood and approachable in style, though the technical difficulties Kavanagh has given herself are numerous; still, the pieces and her playing seem virtuosic without seeming overly showy. Haenssler's reproduction is close-up and crystal-clear, so every note is perfectly audible and fully resonant.

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