Lød (2013)
Lød is the third and latest CD release from Frevo Guitar Duo, released on Euridice Records in June 2013. The album is dedicated exclusively to new music for two guitars that was commissioned and composed for the duoby five leading Norwegian composers.
In recent years, we have gradually focused on
expanding the standard guitar duo repertoire by commissioning new works for our ensemble. Several
of the foremost composers in Norway were challenged to explore new musical territory
for two guitars, resulting in a variety of interesting new compositions.
The works recorded on the CD were composed by Jon Øivind Ness, Jan Martin Smørdal, Rob Waring, Rune Boutroue Bekkhus and Jan Erik Mikalsen.
The composers found inspiration from new and bold tunings of the instrument, Balinese Gamelan-music, microtonality, folk and jazz influences.and quite a number of new and inventive guitar techniques (two handed tapping, nail percussion, etc). The performers were closely involved throughout the compositional process, and made these works an integral part of their repertoire before making the studio recordings. The resulting five original compositions are experimental in their nature, and coherently exploring the full richness and sonorous variety of the guitar duo format.
Track listing:
1 Jon Øivind Ness: Lød (2007)
2 Jan Martin Smørdal: Snip-pets (2010)
3 Rob Waring: Frekoté Vokán (2009)
4 Rune Boutroue Bekkhus: Solfeggietto (2006)
5 Jan Erik Mikalsen: Troubadour Stories II (2011) I.
6 Troubadour Stories II (2011) II.
7 Troubadour Stories II (2011) III.
A studio live video from the recording of Snip-pets by Jan Martin Smørdal can be seen here. The video gives an interesting visual representation of all the experimental playing techniques that is explored in this piece of music.
El Albaicin (2010)
El Albaicin is our second CD that was released on Euridice Records in August 2010. The CD has music by composers Isaac Albeniz, Domenico Scarlatti and Maurice Ohana.
The roots of the guitar can be traced back to Andalucia where it became the instrument of choice in the musical style of cante jondo, an unique blend of Spanish, Gypsy, Jewish and Arab traditions. This is the musical tradition that we today know as flamenco, but it has also inpired different composers throughout history.
The CD contains several movements from Iberia by Isaac Albeniz as well as two sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti and a piece by Maurice Ohana. The transcriptions of Albeniz and Scarlatti for two guitars was an integral part of our diploma level studies as guitar duo at the Norwegian State Academy of Music.
The CD contains several movements from Iberia by Isaac Albeniz as well as two sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti and a piece by Maurice Ohana. The transcriptions of Albeniz and Scarlatti for two guitars was an integral part of our diploma level studies as guitar duo at the Norwegian State Academy of Music.
We have performed this music at concerts and festivals throughout Europe and South-America before recording it for this release on Euridice Records.
Track listing:
1. EL ALBAICIN (Isaac Albéniz)
2. SONATA K. 340 (Domenico Scarlatti)
3. SONATA K. 175 (Domenico Scarlatti)
4. RONDEÑA (Isaac Albéniz)
5. ALMERIA (Isaac Albéniz)
6. TRIANA (Isaac Albéniz)
7. ANONYME XXE SIÉCLE (Maurice Ohana)
The CD can be purchased from Platekompaniet and CDON, and in digital download from iTunes, musikkonline.no or Amazon or from Spotify in streaming format.
Whisky (2002)
We released our debut-CD 'Whisky' on the Norwegian label Hot Club Records in December 2002. The CD contains Spanish and Latin-American music for two guitars, both originally written for this instrumentation and in arrangements.
The title 'Whisky' refers to the CDs opening piece by the argentinian tango-composer Astor Piazzolla. You can also find our own arrangement of Piazzollas 'Contrabajeando' on the CD, as well as Piazzollas masterpiece Tango Suite, originally written for the Brazilian Duo Assad.
From the Latin-American repertoire, there are also 4 arrangements of compositions by the Brazilian pianist, guitarist and composer Egberto Gismonti. The pieces include 'Agua e Vinho', '7 Aneis', 'Sanfona' and 'Frevo'.
In the Spanish repertoire, there is music by the composers Isaac Albeniz and Manuel de Falla, two of the most prominent composers in the Spanish national romantic style with elements from both the Spanish folk-tradition and the European classical tradition.
On the CD there are two movements from 'Iberia', the huge piano-work commonly recognized as Albeniz' greatest work, composed between 1905 and 1909 towards the end of Albeniz' life. 'Evocation' and 'El Puerto' are arrangements of the two first movements of 'Iberia's 12 movements.
The two de Falla pieces on the CD are both orchestral pieces. 'Danca los vecinos' is from the ballet 'El sombrero de tres picos' and the famous 'La vida breve' is from the one-act opera with the same title.
Track Listing:
1. WHISKY (Astor Piazzolla)
2. AQUA E VINHO (Egberto Gismonti)
3. 7 ANÉIS (Egberto Gismonti)
4. EVOCATION (Isaac Albeniz)
5. EL PUERTO (Isaac Albeniz)
6. CONTRABAJEANDO (Astor Piazzolla)
7. DANCA LOS VECINOS (Manuel de Falla)
8. LA VIDA BREVE (Manuel de Falla)
9. SANFONA (Egberto Gismonti)
10. FREVO (Egberto Gismonti)
11. TANGO SUITE - DECISO (Astor Piazzolla)
12. TANGO SUITE - ANDANTE (Astor Piazzolla)
13. TANGO SUITE - ALLEGRO (Astor Piazzolla)
The CD can be purchased from Ponca Jazz Records, and is available as digital download from musikkonline.no and eMusic and can be found in streaming format on Wimp.
