Review of Guitars Ladies by Heike Matthiesen, 2016
“The problem is that music today is as massively organized a masculine domain as it was in the past. Without significant exception, women play a crucial but subaltern role.”
I really think that this statement by Edward W. Said tells us a great truth. It is so difficult to escape from the traditional clichés and still today it’s not so surprising, listening to music performed by female interpreter or to the music composed by a woman, to think about if that special touch that we experience in this music could be due to women’s special sensitivity that we have been accustomed to think for our social education, or whether it is the result of a personal choice or “simply” because of her style.
Quoting Said again: “The question of patterns of gender and sexuality in music itself is a hugely complicated one.” and that “The most traditional is that of inspirational muse, and later helpmeet, adjunct, adoring (but lesser) partner to some prominent male composer: Clara and Robert Schumann, Cosima and Richard Wagner. “
But times change and society and behavioral patterns also follow these changes (though with terrible slowness) and I think that guitarist Heike Matthiesen made a really good realizing this CD with female composers’s music only covering a wide time span and very diverse composing styles . What have in common different personalities like Madame Sydney Pratten (1821-1895), Maria Luisa Anido (1907-1996), Ida Presti (1924-1967), Sofia Gubaidulina (1931), Sylvie Bodorová (1954), Annette Kruisbrink (1958), Tatiana Stachak (1973), Carmen Guzman (1925-2012) and Maria Linnemann (1947)?
Heike Matthiesen has chosen to look for in each of their compositions a very special musical aspect: lyricism. She writes in the notes to the CD: “It was a conscious decision not to choose demonstrative virtuosity; I chose rather, pure music. All These compositions have in common an extreme, sensual sonority Which celebrates the silence between the notes. “
The record is very beautiful, melodic and lyrical, an enjoyable and relaxing listening. Who knows, maybe she could have being more daring, but the result is interesting and allows you to listen to music and composers that barely met the ears of classical guitar enthusiasts.
Madame Sydney Pratten (1821-1895)
1 Songs without words: Eventide –
2 Songs without words:Forgotten (Impromptu)-
3 Songs without words: Sehnsucht –
4 Songs without words: Weary –
5 Songs without words: Sadness
6 Songs without words:A lament
7 Songs without words: A lost love
Maria Luisa Anido (1907-1996)
8 Barcarole
Ida Presti (1924-1967)
9 Segovia
Sofia Gubaidulina (1931)
10 Serenade
Sylvie Bodorova (1954)
11 Poeta Kolumbovi – Elegy
12 Plegaria
Annette Kruisbrink (1958)
13 Tendresse
14 Sad song
Tatiana Stachak (1973)
15 Walc w kafeice – Walzer,, Im kleinen Cafe”
Carmen Guzman (1925-2012)
16 Tango para Billy
17 Vals No.7
18 Dedicatoria ( Tango)
19 Vals No.4
20 Cae la tarde
21 Vals No.5
22 Vals No.6
Maria Linnemann (1947)
23 Two elegic pieces: Elegia (dedicated to H.Matthiesen)
24 Two elegic pieces: Sospiro (Vals triste)(dedicated to H.Matthiesen)
25 Soledad
26 Adio mi amor
NeuGuitars 