A large audience of classical music lovers listened in rapt delight to the enchanting music of the gifted Medina-Gracián Guitar Duo, presented by ¡Viva la Musica! at the Auditorio de la Ribera on Sunday, August 31.
Formed with the intention of making full use of the wide range of music that can be arranged for guitar, the duo – Sergio Medina and Hugo Ernest Gracián – are each soloists in their own right.
A graduate of the University of Guadalajara Music School, Medina received a scholarship from the government of France to study for six years at l’École Nationale de Musique, Paris. Specializing in Baroque and Renaissance music at the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique du Raincy, in 1987 he received the Diplome Supérieur de Musique Ancienne (Superior Diploma in Ancient Music). He is currently head of the Music School at the University of Guadalajara.
Gracián graduated from the University of Guadalajara as a music teacher and professor of guitar and subsequently took master classes with many eminent maestros. In 1997, he received the Virtuosismo Guitarrístico Award at the 7th International Guitar Festival in Morelia, Michoacán. He now divides his time between concert performances and as a professor at CEDART José Clemente Orozco and the University of Guadalajara.
The duo opened with “Córdoba,” originally written for piano as part of Albéniz’s “Chants d’Espagne.” Transcribed for guitar by Miguel Llobet, it is said to have been inspired by the Great Mosque of Córdoba, Andalusia.
Medina’s ten-string classical instrument contrasted beautifully with Gracián’s six-stringed guitar and the music certainly reflected an Arabian influence, particularly when the guitar-body was slapped, sounding like the traditional small tambour accompaniment.
The performance was delightful, despite the raucous music close-by, which proved distracting for everyone. Burying it behind the mechanical roar of the air conditioning sadly proved the lesser of two evils. The pair acknowledged the constant disturbance with a shrug to the audience and continued.
Medina’s arrangement of Bizet’s final opera, “Carmen,” was intriguing because his version contained pieces selected from both Suites One and Two, compiled posthumously in 1882 and 1887 respectively, by Bizet’s friend Ernest Guiraud.
They played “Prélude”: Act I; “Aragonaise”: Interlude (Entr’acte) before Act IV; “Habanera”: Act I, Carmen Aria; “Séguedille”: Act I: Près des remparts de Séville; ‘Chanson du Toréador’: Act II, Introduction and aria; “Intermezzo”: Interlude (Entr’acte) before Act III, closing the first half with the “Danse Bohème”: Act II, Gypsy Dance.
Skillfully done, the entire experience was fascinating, with the two guitars’ interpretation creating an inspiring and enjoyable contrast to the full orchestral version.
Today, it’s somewhat ironic to note that the first production of “Carmen” was delayed due to fears that its themes of betrayal and murder might offend audiences!
Part two opened with Medina’s arrangement of Argentinian Astor Piazzolla’s ever popular tango work, “Las Cuatro Estaciónes Porteñas” – The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires – based on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The Duo’s version started with “Verano Porteño” (Summer), “Otoño Porteño” (Autumn), “’Invierno Porteño” (Winter) ending with “Primavera Porteña” (Spring), and was well received by all.
They closed with three pieces by prolific Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth, who nicknamed his work “Brazilian tangos” or “polkas” as the Argentinian versions were popular at the time.
First up was “Brejeiro” – his first “Brazilian tango,” published in 1893, followed by another, “Odeon,” written in 1910 and finally “Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho” – “Gotcha, mandolin” meaning caught red-handed. Published in 1914, although categorized as a choro it’s actually a polka.
All three pieces were fast and exciting as the pair alternated between playing the melody or the accompaniment. Some tricky fingering consistently produced wonderful harmonies and the show ended with resounding and well-deserved applause.