Carlos Bonell
- Classical Guitar “
From Penny Lane to Andalucia
”
7/3/24
The
Society
presented
Carlos
Bonell.
Beginning
with
an
Allemande
from
a
Suite
by
French
Baroque
composer
Robert
De
Visée,
Carlos
produced
a
refined
and
delicate
tone.
Full
of
contrasts,
coloured
throughout
by
delightful
ornamentation,
the
pace
picked
up
in
the
Courante,
then the
Sarabande
and a lively
Gigue
– all performed with Carlos Bonell’s characteristic grace.
A
passionate
performance
of
the
wonderful
Villa-Lobos
Prelude
number
4
was
stunningly
contrasted
by
a
well-crafted
Choros
full
of
excitement
and
intrigue.
Moved
by
the
moment
and
responding
to
the
audience,
Carlos
diverged
from
the
programme
to
play
two
more
Villa-Lobos
preludes.
The
Prelude
number
2
was
a
delight
to
the
ears,
full
of
iconic
moments
unique
to
the
guitar.
His
interpretation
of
the
Prelude
number
1
was
outstanding;
full
of
contrast
with
a
wonderful
imitative
cello-like
bass
melody
line;
that
Carlos
owned
the
music
was
underscored
by
an
intuitive
interpretation
of
the
closing
section.
The
magic
of
the
Maestro
continued
with
two
recently
self-penned
pieces:
the
jazzy
Variations
was
a
semi-introspective
exploration
of
harmony
and
melody.
Then
the
premier
performance
of
Love
in
Age
2
(playing)
written
in
2023;
it
paradoxically
combines
an
imaginative
expression
of
freedom
and
the
joy
of
discovery
with
a
meditative
quality.
A
repeated
motif
in
the
bass,
overlain
by
arpeggiated
chords,
is
echoed
by
melodic
bursts
in
the
treble
strings
that
gradually
develop
into
a
chordal
melody
played
across
the
treble
strings.
The
applause confirmed the audience’s appreciation of his works.
After
the
interval,
Carlos
performed
his
composition
At
the
Edge
of
the
Horizon
,
an
atmospheric
piece
combining
melody
and
harmony
with
introspective
moments.
Carlos
moved
comfortably
into
the
music
of
Albéniz.
First
a
wonderfully
evocative
rendition
of
Granada;
then
the
brilliant
Asturias
in
which
Carlos
showed
his
mastery
of
the
extended
crescendo
from
pianissimo
to
time-defying
sforzandos.
A
melting
slow
section
succeeded
the
electrifying
opening,
before
a
return
to
the
initial
theme
and,
like
a
storm
receding,
to
a
gentle
close.
In
Carlos’
unique
arrangements
of
Beatles
numbers
,
simple
melodic
lines
and
harmonies
become
complex
interwoven
expressions
of
joy.
The
absolute
foot
tapper
Penny
Lane
stays
with
one
long
after
the
concert.
The
melody
to
Here
Comes
the
Sun
received
special
treatment
when
it
was
played
in
octaves;
the
mid-section
contained
downward
flowing
arpeggios
against
the
melody
and
an
expectation
of
the piece about to end contradicted by an exultant return to the tune.
Las
Morillas
de
Jaén
and
Los
Cuatro
Muleros
,
two
pieces
inspired
by
the
poems
of
Garcia
Lorca,
arranged
by
Carlos
and
framed
in
the
Flamenco
idiom
provided
a
brilliant
end
to
the
concert.
His
rasgueado
-
flamenco
strumming,
and
the
superb
tones
produced
at
the
16
th
fret
of
his
Greg
Smallman
guitar
were
of
particular
note.
Carlos
encored
with
his
arrangement
of
the
Flamenco
traditional
Malagueña
–
played
with
verve, this was guitar fun and showmanship to the delight of all.
Reflecting
on
the
remarkable
musicianship
of
Carlos
Bonell,
one
realizes
that
when
art
transcends
what
is
by
comparison
mere
professionalism
–
one quickly exhausts the superlatives. IM
Carlos Bonell
- Classical Guitar “
From Penny Lane to Andalucia
”
7/3/24
Beginning
with
an
Allemande
from
a
Suite
by
French
Baroque
composer
Robert
De
Visée,
Carlos
produced
a
refined
and
delicate
tone.
Full
of
contrasts,
coloured
throughout
by
delightful
ornamentation,
the
pace
picked
up
in
the
Courante,
then
the
Sarabande
and
a
lively
Gigue
–
all
performed
with
characteristic
grace.
A
passionate
performance
of
the
wonderful
Villa-Lobos
Prelude
number
4
was
stunningly
contrasted
by
a
well-
crafted
Choros
full
of
excitement
and
intrigue.
Moved
by
the
moment,Carlos
diverged
from
the
programme
to
play
two
more
Villa-Lobos
preludes.
The
Prelude
number
2
was
a
delight
to
the
ears,
full
of
iconic
moments
unique
to
the
guitar.
His
interpretation
of
the
Prelude
number
1
was
outstanding;
full
of
contrast
with
a
wonderful
imitative
cello-like
bass
melody
line;
that
Carlos
owned
the
music
was
underscored
by
an
intuitive
interpretation
of
the
closing
section.
The
magic
of
the
Maestro
continued
with
two
self-penned
pieces:
the
jazzy
Variations
was
a
semi-introspective
exploration
of
harmony
and
melody.
Then
the
premier
performance
of
Love
in
Age
2
(playing)
written
in
2023;
it
paradoxically
combines
an
imaginative
expression
of
freedom
and
the
joy
of
discovery
with
a
meditative
quality.
A
repeated
motif
in
the
bass,
overlain
by
arpeggiated
chords,
is
echoed
by
melodic
bursts
in
the
treble
strings
that
gradually
develop
into
a
chordal
melody
played
across the treble strings. The applause confirmed the audience’s appreciation.
After
the
interval,
Carlos
performed
his
composition
At
the
Edge
of
the
Horizon
,
an
atmospheric
piece
combining
melody
and
harmony
with
introspective
moments.
Carlos
moved
comfortably
into
the
music
of
Albéniz.
First
a
wonderfully
evocative
rendition
of
Granada;
then
the
brilliant
Asturias
in
which
Carlos
showed
his
mastery
of
the
extended
crescendo
from
pianissimo
to
time-defying
sforzandos.
A
melting
slow
section
succeeded
the
electrifying
opening,
before
a
return
to
the
initial
theme
and,
like
a
storm
receding,
to
a
gentle
close.
In
Carlos’
unique
arrangements
of
Beatles
numbers
,
simple
melodic
lines
and
harmonies
become
complex
interwoven
expressions
of
joy.
The
foot
tapper
Penny
Lane
stays
with
one
long
after
the
concert.
The
melody
to
Here
Comes
the
Sun
received
special
treatment
when
it
was
played
in
octaves;
the
mid-section
contained
downward
flowing
arpeggios
against
the
melody
and
an
expectation
of
the
piece
about
to
end
contradicted
by
an
exultant
return
to
the
tune.
Las
Morillas
de
Jaén
and
Los
Cuatro
Muleros
,
inspired
by
the
poems
of
Garcia
Lorca,
arranged
by
Carlos
and
framed
in
the
Flamenco
idiom
provided
a
brilliant
end
to
the
concert.
His
rasgueado
-
flamenco
strumming,
and
the
superb
tones
produced
at
the
16
th
fret
of
his
Greg
Smallman
guitar
were
of
particular
note.
Carlos
encored
with
his
arrangement
of
the
Flamenco
traditional
Malagueña
–
played with verve, this was guitar fun and showmanship to the delight of all.
Reflecting
on
the
remarkable
musicianship
of
Carlos
Bonell,
one
realizes
that
when
art
transcends
what
is
by
comparison
mere
professionalism
–
one
quickly
exhausts
the superlatives. IM
