“A quality collectors release from a specialist performer of the highest caliber. “ Cuban guitarist Marco Tamayo is widely recognized as a Giuliani interpreter, his premier of several unpublished works on a period instrumental at Alessandria in 2002 taking place during the same ceremony at which he scooped the coveted MauroGuiliani Prize. For this latest installment from Naxos, he performs on a modern instrument by Paco Marin of Granada, whose light and focused sound proves well-suited to the fingerboard acrobatics that occupy much of the 75 minutes’ playing time....
The Naxos series for classical guitar is historically and musically important for that instrument. It has also provided a vehicle for many fine, but relatively unknown young guitarists to gain commercial exposure. This is challenging in an industry generally dominated more by economics than musical excellence.
A recent offering in this series is ‘Guitar Music’ by Paganini featuring Marco Tamayo. It is his third recording for Naxos.
While Paganini’s fame centres on violin virtuosity and compositions for that instrument, less known is his similar relationship with the guitar; each instrument being an integral part of his unique personality.
Behind this modest title there hides a giant talent. Marco Tamayo is an incredible artist, possessing a musicality and technique that must be heard to be believed! He may not project the warmth of tone of an Almeida or Segovia, but to tackle Paganini's Capricii for solo violin - which abound in finger-breaking pizzicati - on the guitar, and bring the music off successfully, is a real act of bravura. Much of this music is new to disc, a Naxos tradition, and most welcome. The Ghiribizzi (little fantasias) are especially intriguing: here the music occasionally sounds like Flamenco. That, however, may be due to the artist's Hispanic background and his style of playing. This disc should be a hot item in the guitar world."
