Mak Grgić, Guitar
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Balkanisms GUITAR MUSIC FROM THE BALKANS BOGDANOVIĆ IVANOVIĆ • OSTOJIĆ PAPANDOPULO TADIĆ Mak Grgić, Guitar Balkanisms: Guitar music from the Balkans Papandopulo, a Greek aristocrat, and the Croatian opera with a slow exploratory section before embarking on a Dušan Bogdanović (b. 1955) • Vojislav Ivanović (b. 1959) • Lazar Ostojić (b.1987) singer Maja Strozzi-Pečić. As well as his prolific comp- vivacious, slightly sentimental episode. The Dance itself is Boris Papandopulo (1906–1991) • Miroslav Tadić (b. 1959) ositional activities he also achieved a reputation as a brilliant and virtuosic with rapid scalic passages building journalist and pianist. His composing output comprised towards an exciting climax. A Funny Waltz presents a The Balkans constitute a geographical area of south-east Dance, dedicated to Scott Tennant, is based on the trad- nearly 500 works of orchestral, concertante, chamber and delightful parody of a waltz, at times recalling the light Europe, taking its name from the Balkan Mountains that itional Macedonian dance Kalajdzisko oro (‘coppersmith’s solo works as well as vocal and instrumental pieces, stage approach of Francisco Tárrega in 19th-century Spain. The stretch through Bulgaria from the Serbian-Bulgarian border dance’), centred round the movements coppersmith or music and film music. profoundly romantic A Lullaby invites us to sit back and relax to the Black Sea. Countries usually considered to be part of tinsmen used while making or repairing large metal dishes. Three Croatian Dances is a light-hearted tryptych of in the café environment. the Balkans are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Dušan Bogdanović, born in Belgrade, Serbia, began varying moods. The first, Allegretto vivace, offers a kind of Lazar Ostojić, the youngest Balkan composer repre- Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, playing the guitar at the age of twelve. He later studied tap dance, syncopated rhythms alternating with scalic sented here, was born in Belgrade where he later studied at Serbia, and Slovenia. The entire region has long established composition with Alberto Ginastera and Pierre Wissner, and passages. Moderato suggests slightly inebriated rhythms the Faculty of Music. He went on to study in the Netherlands traditions of folk music, noted for complex rhythms and guitar with Maria Lívia São Marcos at the Conservatoire de staggering humorously among ironic dissonances. Finally, where he designed a new kind of guitar known as the plaintive melodies. musique de Genève. Having won a number of prestigious the third dance, marked Allegretto comodo, offers a merry ‘Albatross’, ideal for performing the music of the Balkans. Miroslav Tadić, guitarist, composer, improviser and music guitar competitions he made his US debut at Carnegie Hall, syncopated tune with lively dissonances in the central Ostojić, while still a student, featured in various master- educator, completed his formal studies of music in the US New York, in 1977. During the 1990s and 2000s Bogdanović section and some jazz-like harmonies as well as a vivid use classes with maestros such as Pepe Romero, the Assad after studying in Italy and his native Yugoslavia. He has taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and now of harmonics. brothers and Pavel Steidl and also took lessons in performed and recorded in a wide variety of settings and teaches at the Conservatoire de musique de Genève. He is Vojislav Ivanović, born in Sarajevo, studied guitar at the composition with Carlo Domeniconi. musical styles. He performs regularly in Europe, North and a prolific composer with over 50 published compositions, Athens Conservatoire with Costas Costiolis and Stairway to the Balkans is a tribute to the musical culture South America and Japan. In recent years, Tadić has often exploring different idioms and combining classical, composition with Vojin Komadina at Sarajevo University. He of the Balkans, with a tapestry of moods and textures concentrated on developing an approach to improvisation jazz, and ethnic influences within his music, as well as being has appeared as a concert artist worldwide. His diverse evolving as the work proceeds. Songs and parts of songs which combines and juxtaposes musical material drawn a highly acclaimed recording artist with many albums to his compositional output includes instrumental music, choral alluded to throughout (in order of appearance) are Stairway from many diverse sources. Tadić has written music for credit. and orchestral works, string quartets, piano and guitar to Paradise, Parni valjak – Sve još miriše na nju, Ekatarina numerous experimental film, dance and theatre works. Levantine Suite, dedicated to Eleftheria Kotzia, is a concertos, and songs, as well as film scores. Ivanović is Velika – Stvaran svet, Bajaga – Tišina, Smak – Šumadijski Since 1985 he has been a professor at the prestigious commemoration of the musical culture of the Levant, the professor of guitar at the Music Academy, Sarajevo, and bluz, Bijelo dugme – Ne spavaj mala moja. The intricate California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. eastern part of the Mediterranean. Prelude, with no time has served on a number of juries for international guitar rhythms and colourful characteristics of Balkan music are The five compositions by Miroslav Tadić are from what signature, is an intimate improvisation setting the scene competitions. beautifully celebrated here in a complex synthesis of styles. the composer has described as ‘my constantly expanding made up of short phrases of a meditative kind. Dance,in Café Pieces, of which three are performed here, were and evolving suite for guitar called Laments, Dances and 7/16 time, has a continual momentum with ingenious originally in a suite of six. Improvisation and Dance begins Graham Wade Lullabies, inspired by traditional music of the Balkans. Jovka contrapuntal weaving of parts. The piece is written on two and Chicho are based respectively on the Macedonian folk staves to achieve notational clarity especially for the songs Prošeta se Jovka Kumanovka (‘Kumanovo was distinctive bass line. The meaning of Cantilena, an Italian Walking’) and More čičo reče da me ženi (‘Grandpa Has term from the 18th century, refers to that part of the music Decided to Marry Me Off’). which carries the melody in a composition. This movement, Macedonian Girl, originally titled Makedonsko devojče marked Rubato, quasi un recitativo, consists of short (its subject being the unmatched beauty of Macedonian phrases based on chordal progressions each representing women), was written by the noted songwriter Jonče a simple melody made up of few notes. Passacaglia, also Hristovski and became part of the folk music heritage written on two staves, is a ground bass in 5/8 time, bearing decades ago. It is written in 7/8 metre, a characteristic of above it a filigree of counterpoint. The final movement, much Macedonian music. Rustemul, a dance from south- Postlude, is created from improvisatory scalic passages. western Romania, was originally played by a band with violin Boris Papandopulo, Croatian composer and conductor and cembalom along with pan pipes and contrabass. Walk of Russian Jewish descent, was the son of Konstantin Mak Grgić Lauded by The New York Times and The Washington Post, Mak Grgić is emerging as a highly esteemed performer on the international stage. An expansive and adventurous repertoire attests to his versatility and wide-ranging interests, ranging from the Baroque and Renaissance to music of the cinema and from ethnic music of his native Balkans to extreme avant-garde and microtonal music. Grgić’s extraordinary talents and tastes as soloist, collaborator, and recording artist are fuelled by his curiosity, imagination, and boundless energy. He is a founding member and active performer in two duos – the Flamenco-style Duo Deloro and the new music-focused FretX Duo. As Young Artist in Residence with the Da Camera Society of Los Angeles, he founded DC8, an octet that received praise from the Los Angeles Times. Grgić proudly plays and endorses an array of fabulous concert guitars made by diverse craftsmen, including Antonius Müller, Hanson Yao, Slavko Mrdalj, Samo Sali, as well as a historic 1966 Jose Ramirez, in addition to other quirky re-fretted and remodelled guitars. www.makgrgic.com Photo © Melani Topalović Photo © Melani The area in south-east Europe known as the Balkans has long established folk traditions rich in complex rhythms and evocative melodies. Innovative guitarist Mak Grgić has selected the music of five composers to explore the variety and piquant colours embedded in their compositions. Drawn from his evolving suite called Laments, Dances and Lullabies, Miroslav Tadić traces Macedonian folk songs, while each of the other composers brings very personal 8.573920 qualities. Vivid harmonies, vivacious interludes, syncopated rhythms, and a lively, jazz-like DDD feel all combine to create a tapestry of moods and textures. Playing Time BALKANISMS 76:03 Guitar music from the Balkans 7 Miroslav TADIĆ (b. 1959) ! Allegretto comodo 3:38 47313 39207 1 Jovka* (2017) 2:35 Vojislav IVANOVIĆ (b. 1959) 2 Chicho* (2016) 5:38 Café Pieces (1993) (excerpts) 18:29 Dušan BOGDANOVIĆ (b. 1955) @ Improvisation and Dance 6:03 Levantine Suite (1995) 11:27 # A Funny Valse 5:07 3 Prelude 1:24 $ A Lullaby 7:14 4 Dance 1:42 Lazar OSTOJIĆ (b. 1987) 0 5 Cantilena 3:33 Made inGermany Booklet notesinEnglish ൿ % Stairway to the Balkans* www.naxos.com 6 Passacaglia 2:58 (2017) 12:52 & 7 Postlude 1:36 Ꭿ Traditional / Miroslav TADIĆ