Christopher Parkening with David Brandon ~ Virtuoso Duets

For listening enjoyment.

wrote Frederic Chopin. Those who enjoy classical guitar music find special pleasure in duets. The repertoire for duets is less frequently played, yet offers more possibilities for textural and harmonic effects than solo guitar. In such capable hands as Christopher Parkening and David Brandon, few musical experiences could give greater listening pleasure.This album is, sadly, no longer in print and thus makes it even more collectable. Please buy this CD before you loose the chance to hear some the most beautifully played classical guitar duets ever recorded.

Christopher Parkening is clearly the bigger name on this album, but I should like to say that I do not think this should be taken literally. David Brandon is his duet partner, not accompanist; and therefore I consider it poor form that the former's name should be on the cover at twice the point size of the latter's. (Of course, I do not attribute the blame for this to Mr. Parkening, who would surely know that whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased [Luke 14:11].)Mr. Parkening brings to this project the same qualities as to his previous ones: namely, good technique, good tone, and a conservative choice of repertoire.Much of the album follows paths so well trodden by other duos that they must have worn grooves in the ground. The "Intermezzo from Goyescas" and Falla's "Spanish Dance Nº 1" have been played by just about everyone there is, including  Presti/Lagoya . The last-named also play Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Prelude & Fugue Nº 4, the only one of the 24 they ever recorded, which appears here too. The best version of the "Spanish Dance", however, is certainly that of  Julian Bream and John Williams , who also play the complete "Dolly Suite" from which the "Berceuse" is extracted.The  Album of Spanish and South American Folk Songs for two guitars , of which "El Paño Moruno" is a sample, has been recorded in its entirety by  Konrad Ragossnig & Walter Feybli .Stepping outside the tried and proven, though, we find some intelligent choices for transcription — although what had to be done to "Le Rossignol" and "Drewries Accordes" ("trans. Russ & Parkening") is unclear to me, since they can both be played straight from the original lute tablature, and versions for guitar have been published for decades.The Zipoli transcription works well, and the Séverac is a particularly attractive miniature. Halffter's "Danza de la Pastora" is a terrific piece of music, akin in spirit to the "Spanish Dance"; but here I confess that I find both the transcription and the playing rather naff (in part because the repeats are omitted), and I far prefer the version for solo guitar by  Marc Teicholz .On balance, though, this is a well played and pleasant album, and you can safely give it as a present to your Auntie Aggie without fear that that she will be offended by any of the atonal graunches, pings and bonks etc. that grace some of the modern guitar repertory. The booklet notes are helpful and reasonably accurate, except for a typo that makes Plácido Domingo look as if he's a Serb.