British guitarist Nicola Hall made only a few recordings in the 1990s before a tendonitis-type hand injury forced her to abandon her career as a top-notch classical guitarist. What a shame. She's really good.
From what I understand, she studied with Segovia and John Williams. I've played selections from her albums in the past on Fretworks, and it's time for another reminder of her fine artistry.
Hall will be the soloist in the Guitar Concerto No. 1 in D by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco with the London Mozart Players led by Andrew Litton. The performance is from her 1994 London recording that also includes her transcription of Nicolo Paganini's Violin concerto No. 2 and Pablo de Sarasate's Gypsy Airs.
In the video below, see what she does with Paganini's 24th Solo Violin Caprice.
Also on this week's program, we'll hear the very fine Los Angeles guitar Quartet in their arrangement of St. Paul's Suite by English composer Gustav Holst. American guitarist Martha Masters will play the Theme, Variations and Finale by Mexican composer Manuel Ponce, and lutenist Hopkinson Smith has music from 17th century Paris by Jaques de Gallot.
Virtuoso violinist Nadia Solerno-Sonnenberg and Brazillian guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad will play their arrangement of some traditional Gypsy Songs to round out the next hour of Fretworks on Classical 101. Join me for music of the classical guitar every Saturday and Wednesday evening at 7pm.
