Bach and Bourbon The Old Guitarist

• The Old Guitarist: Jesu After Bach Fantasia:
• 1 Guitarist: Jesu After Bach Fantasia 04:25
• W. A. Mozart (1756 - 1791): Sonata in B-flat K 570:
• 2 Mozart: Sonata in B-flat K 570: Adagio 05:06
• 3 Mozart: Sonata in B-flat K 570: Allegretto 03:39
• Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738): Sheebeg & Sheemore:
• 4 O'Carolan: Sheebeg & Sheemore 02:39
• Ralph Towner (b. 1940): Distant Hills:
• 5 Towner: Distant Hills 05:00
• Icarus:
• 6 Towner: Icarus 03:10
• The Old Guitarist: Uyatu:
• 7 Guitarist: Uyatu 03:29
• J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750): Trio Sonata No. 1 BWV 525:
• 8 Bach: Trio Sonata No. 1 BWV 525: I. Largo 05:35
• 9 Bach: Trio Sonata No. 1 BWV 525: II. Allegro 03:51
• The Old Guitarist: The Librarian Takes a Groom:
• 10 Guitarist: The Librarian Takes a Groom 04:41
• Kiss on a Forest Path:
• 11 Guitarist: Kiss on a Forest Path 02:18
• Song without Words:
• 12 Guitarist: Song without Words 03:22
• Total Runtime 47:15

Info zu Bach and Bourbon

BACH AND BOURBON captures the eclectic spirit of a live concert by The Old Guitarist, including works by Bach, Mozart, Ralph Towner, and six of The Old Guitarist’s own compositions. The album features everything from Irish folk music of the Baroque period to wistful originals with historically sourced arrangements, bridging centuries and traditions. Highlights include Jesu After-Bach Fantasia, a lyrical tribute that imagines Bach as a 20th-century Irish-American guitarist, and Distant Hills by Ralph Towner, whose contrapuntal clarity echoes Pachelbel's Canon. The collection closes with three original pieces reflecting poignant moments in the composer’s life.

BACH AND BOURBON was conceived as an album which would deliver the experience of one of The Old Guitarist’s concerts. It is eclectic by design. Works by Bach and Mozart alongside compositions by Ralph Towner and six original works by The Old Guitarist.

Jesu After-Bach Fantasia originally started as a composition for flute and guitar. Over time, it has developed into its current form. It has aptly been described as, “…the most familiar melody that you have never heard before.” It was written as an homage to the great master, imagining Bach to be a 20th century Irish American guitarist, instead of a 17th century German organist.

The two Mozart works that follow are arrangements made by Ferdinando Carulli, a guitarist active in the 1800s, the source material is Mozart’s Bb piano sonata. I heard of the arrangement and was allowed to copy the manuscript which was owned by a Parisian collector.

The work that follows is by a Baroque period, blind, Irish harpist. Understand, he is a folk composer, who lived during the Baroque period. What has come down to us is only the melody. So, I was able to dress it up in its current form.

The two works that follow are by the American guitarist/composer Ralph Towner, who was a member of The Paul Winter Consort when he wrote Icarus. Distant Hills is a later work, the arrangement is in style of Pachelbel’s Cannon, each repeated section uses the same phrasing but different counterpoints.

Uyatu follows, which is another work by The Old Guitarist. This is followed in turn by two works by J. S. Bach. An arrangement of one of Bach’s organ trios. Originally in Eb it is played here in G.

The concluding three works are all by The Old Guitarist. The Librarian Takes a Groom was written as a wedding gift to his sister. Kiss on a Forest Path came into being because a student didn’t show for a lesson. The final work, Song Without Words, was written to honor a fallen brother.

The Old Guitarist:
Crispian Fordham, flute
Meredyth Coleman, oboe
Matvei Sigalov, violin
Domenic Sabol, cello
Lauren Weaver, cello
Wes Crawford, percussion

The Old Guitarist
was born in County Cavan, Ireland. At the age of 3, his family emigrated to the United States, where his father founded the Irish Studies Department, at the University of Montana.

He played baseball and fished as if they were full-time jobs. He also sang in the church choir with his mother. At the age of 11, inspired by the Beatles, he purchased his first guitar. He wrote songs and played in rock bands. At the age of 20, he came to his father and told him he wanted to change his major from philosophy to music. “What does it matter?” his father said, “either way you’ll be broke.”

The Old Guitarist attended SUNY Purchase where he studied with Phillip Defremery, teaching assistant to Oscar Ghiglia, as well as Frederick Hand, a student of the legendary British guitarist Julian Bream. During a lesson with Fred Hand reviewing one of The Old Guitarist’s compositions, Hand turned to him and said, “…you’re really good.” Since then, he has gotten even older.

The Old Guitarist received his Master of Music degree from Yale University, where he studied with Eliot Fisk, Andres Segovia’s final student, as well as Peter Oiujian, first violinist with the Tokyo String Quartet, and Phyllis Curtin, head of the Tanglewood vocal department. He was awarded the Lucy G. Moses Fellowship while at Yale, “… awarded to students of exceptional promise.”

The Old Guitarist has been awarded grants from the Yamaha Foundation as well as Meet the Composer. He has performed as a chamber musician and soloist throughout the United States and Europe.

The Old Guitarist remains an avid fisherman —for decades he has given up the rod and reel for a new technique. He wades out into a river or stream and plays his guitar hoping a fish will jump into the soundhole. While he has yet to catch a fish, he maintains that a number of the fish have learned how to sing. Mostly simple folk songs, but there is a trout who is just mad about show tunes and a catfish who has mastered the fiendishly difficult Queen of the Night aria from Mozart’s delightful Magic Flute.

He feels that — despite not catching any fish — he has been successful because it is called “fishing” not “catching.” The Old Guitarist also maintains that the stories of him engaging in bear dancing or bear wrestling, if you will, are untrue, and are nothing but vicious rumors.

Dieses Album enthält kein Booklet