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Review: Classical Guitar Magazine September 1990 by Chris Kilvington
Two of the most consistently pleasing and accessible music albums of the 80s were La Guitarra Flamenca and Twelve Inventions.The premature death of Robin Pearson has not prevented his work from continuing, and his pieces for classical guitarists have proved deservedly popular. Peter Nuttall’s varied and melodic compositions have a similar appeal, lyrical and guitaristic. Both the collections, built around Grade 3 to 6 level, have given much pleasure and genuine development to many players.
Alison Bendy’s performances of these pieces are pleasing, well shaped with good tone and always with an eye towards the students who will be listening to her playing. I am delighted that there are no grandiose departures from the scores, no hugely personal statements, no excesses. Students can, understandably, be lead astray, but that won’t happen here.
Bendy’s playing is fluent and unstrained and sets a good example to guitarists using her cassette; they are more likely to make their own personal statements rather than slavishly copy her, and this is to the good. Her background in flamenco gives her a good base for the Pearson works, but once again there is an appropriate restraint (and a flamenco player would tell you of the need for discipline in any case).
Many of us are inspired by the recordings of the great artists, and rightly so. But a recording such as this has very positive importance too, apart from which it makes for pleasing listening in its own right. Danza Mora is well engineered by John Taylor, and is certainly recommended. |
