Virtuoso David Starobin Plays Virtuoso Guitar Music
By Ralph Graves
I thought David Starobin released his farewell album a couple of years ago. But I’m not complaining. Starobin is a masterful performer. And his releases are always well-recorded.
Most of the works on “Virtuosi” have been previously released — but not all. Three selections by W.T. Matiegka. Matiegka was a friend of Franz Schubert, and their styles are very similar. If Schubert had written guitar music, this is probably what it would have sounded like.
Also premiered her are Five Anecdotes by Andres Segovia. He’s the only 20th Century composer on the album. The others all date from the early Romantic Era. But his music isn’t out of place. These works explore the possibilities of the guitar while remaining tonal and tuneful.
Starobin plays with remarkable control. He plucks the strings with precision — even the fasted runs sound clean and accurate. And his left hand technique is flawless. There’s never even the hint of a finger slide.
But most important is what Starobin does with these skills. He plays expressively, giving shape to the music. It doesn’t matter how demanding the music is, one only hears the beauty of the sound.
This is a collection of virtuoso guitar music written by virtuoso guitarists. And it’s played by a virtuoso guitarist.
Virtuosi: Guitar Music by Giuliani, Matiegka, L’Hoyer, Coste, Regondi, Sor, Segovia
David Starobin, guitar
Bridge Records 9600
