I am grateful to my new friend Marc Rosenberg for delving into one of my more ambitious works, String Songs. The Mud Turtle Quintet, led by Marc, presented the songs in concert on April 8 at the Spring Branch Performing Arts Center in Houston. Mud Turtle Quintet includes guitarist Marc Rosenberg, and violinists Sean O’Neal and Rachel Shepard, violist Faith Jones, and cellist Vyacheslav. I met Marc at the Classical Minds Festival last summer in Houston.
Purchase String Songs and other works for strings and guitar on this website. Click for a complete list of such works.
Mud Turtle Quintet | Return to Nature Concert
Song Arrangements for Strings
String Songs are arrangements of seven songs that I wrote between 1996 and 2007. The first String Song is my first actual song and the second uses a poem of Wendy Holmes. Holmes is a lifelong friend of my wife, and fabulous artist/photographer. The next five songs are all from a 2006 composition entitled Syzygy, which is a song-cycle on poetry written by my wife, Nancy Knowles. The treatment of each song varies to create a constantly changing texture throughout the 23 minutes of the work.
1. Song without words quintet
2. Advice trio
3. Watershed at Brewbakers duo
4. Architecture quintet
5. Caramelo quartet
6. Remembered wellness quintet
7. Orbs in syzygy quintet
The quintets use the full resources of the string ensemble and are lavishly adorned with polyphonic lines, textural octaves, and enhancements to the guitar accompaniments. Advice, a trio, is virtually identical to the original piece for guitar with soprano and baritone voices. [There is also an arrangement for piano and oboe and bassoon.] A jazzy duet between violin and guitar follows, with strummed chords and elaborated violin part with two-part polyphony and melodic flourishes. The rest are full ensemble except the cello is tacit in #5, in which the strings are muted in this peaceful setting.
Fünf Kleine Stücke (Five Short Pieces) is my most recent composition, now for sale, click here to purchase a PDF download. I recently paid a visit to my friend Aaron Green where I had the opportunity to play four different Hauser guitars from 1931, 1941 and two from 1959. The 1939 Aaron recently had was sold and not available as the fifth, so we used one of Aaron’s recent guitars which was inspired by the Llobet model of early Hausers. Read more below about my conception and the birth of this new work.
Fünf Kleine Stücke was written for Dr. Daniel Pewsner in thanks for many favors and good friendship. Also for my new found love of Switzerland and its many graces and lovely medieval towns, such as Basel, Bern and Solothurn.
Fünf Kleine Stücke
I. Sequenz I
II. Basel, 1298
III. Lindenberg, 2017
IV. Durch den Rhein
V. Sequenz II
My wife Nancy and I were on vacation in Basel, Switzerland and I had borrowed a beautiful guitar belonging to Dani. It, and the gorgeous 14th and 15th century surroundings, inspired me to do more more than a little technique maintenance while trying to relax (not my forte!). Composing does relax me, and so it went: a morning coffee, a few warmups, then composing, lunch with Nancy at an intimate downtown cafe, then off to a museum, walking the beautiful streets of Basel to get there. On those walks we continually looked for the earliest date above a medieval doorway – the winner, 1298. Thus the title of #2 – Basel, 1298, with appropriate harmonies to that time, many parallel fourths and a spacious flow reminiscent of the long and luxurious reverberation of tones in an all-stone cathedral or chapel.
My dedication of #4 to José Sanchez (another guitarist/friend residing in Bern who possesses perhaps the most beautiful tone I have ever heard!) is based on a trip we took twice to a country chapel on the outskirts of the exquisite town of Solothurn. José grew up near there and had recollections of discovering this magical place some 30 years before – all the while it sat in his memory. I was touched that I was visiting when it occurred to him to take me and Dani there to share his experience. The memory was good – the all stone acoustics were amazing and we soaked up the vibrations in joy and wonderment. On the first visit, a somewhat elderly woman with few teeth, thin, but strong in appearance, entered and asked if we could be quiet for a few moments. Abiding her request, she disappeared into a crypt behind the alter. Our eyes gazed in question at each other upon hearing the bass tones that emerged – wasn’t that a woman? Our question was soon answered by the next phrase that leapt two octaves and more. And so the questions and answers bounced off the walls, floor and ceiling of hard stone. We did ask what language, as she emerged, “my own, they are sounds that come to me.” And the music? “The same – it comes.” She departed, as mysteriously as she had entered, and left us aghast.
The five works are conceived as studies, tone poems they might be called. The prime purpose of any study is to achieve the maximum resonance of the guitar with beautiful tone in any technical circumstance. So a study takes a particular pattern and repeats it a bit more than normal. The several problems presented here are: scales with slurs, thus the two “Sequenz,” or sequences, that are inspired by the medieval form, and feature long scales with slurs, slurs that need to be incorporated into the flow, or pattern, with strength, clarity and fluidity; Basel, 1298 and the following Lindenberg, 2017 (the street on which these works were composed) focus on im chords, two note intervals, that span all six strings, demanding the right wrist be fluid and accommodate all strings so that the tone remains consistent (though variable as dictated by musical demands or inspiration); and the third major focus is simply melody and accompaniment, though in #4, Durch den Rhein, the melody constantly shifts between bass and soprano.
On this last point, I would comment that I have a rule that is essential to my particular style of playing: ALL melodies should be played rest stroke. Now, you may immediately react, “how old fashioned!” But I would have you pause for two seconds and reconsider. Every rule MUST be broken, so I by no means ever achieve this goal. But, even if it is totally impossible or impractical to play a note rest stroke. it is crucial that you try, that you practice it this way. Why? To get that lovely rich sound in your ear. If the ultimate decision is to play free stroke, you have been informed by the attempted execution of rest stroke, and your ear has been infected by that sound. You may want the melody to be soft and wispy, slightly or emphatically ponticello, where rest stroke feels to heavy and punchy. Great – do it. But I have witnessed too many great guitarists playing the opening phrase of Villa-Lobos Prelude #1 free stroke – it sounds weak – it can never achieve that full cello like quality that must be used. Imagine a cellist bowing across the string without wanting to press the string too hard! Shifting between rest stroke thumb and rest stroke finger demands flexibility of approach, particularly in the wrist, but also demands sensitivity in the fingertip/nail connection and arc of the fingers.
I met Nina at the Long Island Guitar Festival two years ago. She’s an artist, a fan, and a lover of all things beautiful. Nina posted several new drawings recently and I had to grab them since each is full of gyres – the circular squiggles. She also wrote me a beautiful response on hearing my new CD a couple of weeks ago and I suggested she fill it out a bit and post as a “review”. So here it is…
Everything about this work of art is beautiful: the lush multi-layered painting on the cover, the sensuous photo of the Hauser inside, the love letter to your mentors, the recorded sound quality, the music and humanity. The music is exquisite; a selection of works that were dear to the iconic guitarist Andrés Segovia as well as a dramatic set of variations on the famous tune Noi de la Mare. Called Dreams on a Lullaby, Wallace’s own composition is perfect for inclusion.
OMAGGIO sat on my desk for a few days, and I enjoyed looking at the cover. Last night I opened it and played it straight through. I was transfixed – did not move. That was not my intention, but I couldn’t tear myself away, and when it ended I hoped for more. Only listen to this work if you have time to devote to cascades of notes, cadences and accents so delicately placed you might miss them if you breathe.
The music flows from its creators through the magic fingers of Frank Wallace. His soul is in the music, and he is unembarrassed by that vulnerability. The artist’s attention to detail is a gift, one which allows the listener to completely surrender to the performance. The clarity of the playing, the trills and runs that tumble and fall with grace and resonance, carry the music forward intentionally. The Hauser guitar, with its intricate history and depth of soul, embraces the history of music, and hopefully the future.
OMAGGIO coalesces a particular repertoire, a history-laden instrument resonant beyond belief, and an artist who loves it all and pours his musicality as well as exquisite technique and attention into this work. The CD is presented artfully; Nancy Knowles’ cover painting is a perfect touch along with photographs and liner notes that highlight a spare conceptual homage to a particular history of classical guitar music.
The depth of Wallace’s knowledge, commitment and experience shimmer through the sound. Sometimes perfectionism pays, and this is one of those times. In addition to my pure pleasure in listening to the music I find inspiration to push for my best in the work I’m doing now. Thank you. Congratulations on a fine contribution to world art. – Nina Krebs, 1/16/17
Purchase you copy or link to downloads here: BUY OMAGGIO
On January 6, 2017 Omaggio [Gyre CD 20212] will be released worldwide in digital formats. This 25th recording by American virtuoso guitarist Frank Wallace is now available in CD format at www.gyremusic.com. Featuring an extraordinary 1931 Hauser I guitar, the CD pays tribute to the legacy of Andrés Segovia and the incomparable German luthier Hermann Hauser. Works on this recording were written for Segovia or were part of his repertoire, and are homages themselves to Bach, Debussy, Tárrega, Llobet, and the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela. Wallace, “…a powerful player, possessed of an unfailing musicianship…an almost symphonic range of colors and articulations…” [Kunze, Soundboard], performs works of Villa-Lobos, de Falla, Tárrega, Turina, Mompou and his own piece dedicated to the Catalan composer/guitarist Miguel Llobet, Dreams on a Lullaby.
Segovia first met Hauser in 1924, beginning a long and close relationship that led to the 1937 Hauser that Segovia played in concert for 25 years and which he proclaimed is “the greatest guitar of our epoch.” It is now housed at the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York City. The Hauser guitar on this recording was built for Segovia in 1931, but was soon passed on to his student Blanche Moyse, later known for her work with the Moyse Trio and as a founder of Marlboro Music. In Wallace’s own words: “These older guitars are vibrant musical powerhouses – their tones are infinitely more complex and haunting than those of newer guitars.” Wallace has long been a proponent of historical music and instruments. He has recorded and performed lute and vihuela music on authentic instruments, and on historic guitars by Panormo, Lacote, Gutierrez, Manuel Ramirez, Soto y Solares, Hauser, Bouchet, Fleta, etc.
Omaggio presents music that Segovia frequently played in concert, including several homages. Opening with the first three Preludes by Heitor Villa-Lobos, they are a Homage to the Brazilian sertanejo (county man), Homage to the carioca hustler, and Homage to Bach. Wallace moves on to what is considered by many the first great masterpiece of the 20th century, Omaggio (Homenaje) by Manuel de Falla. Written in 1920, it was composed for a collection of works entitled Tombeau de Claude Debussy. Next is Homenaje a Tárrega by Joaquín Turina composed in 1932 for Segovia. Written in a nationalistic musical style, it has distinct impressionistic influences. Wallace’s Dreams on a Lullaby is a set of variations on Noi de la Mare, a Catalan folk song made famous by Miguel Llobet’s iconic setting. The six-movement Suite Compostelana by Federico Mompou has special personal associations with the great pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela for both the composer and the performer. Mompou dedicated this work to Segovia in 1963 as homage to the great city itself as well as the festival presented there annually. The International University Courses Música en Compostela were created in 1958 on the initiative of Maestro Andrés Segovia, together with the Spanish diplomat José Miguel Ruiz Morales. Wallace attended the course in 1972 and met Ruiz Morales several years later which led to a performance at Música en Compostela by his Trio LiveOak in 1982.
Frank Wallace tours internationally as a soloist and with mezzo-soprano Nancy Knowles as Duo LiveOak. Robert Schulslaper of Fanfare dubbed him “…a true master of his instrument…His dynamic range is impressive, and his gradations of tone, constantly singing line, and sensitive musicianship confirm his ‘elegant virtuosity’ (classicstoday.com).” Bradford Werner on This is classical guitar says, “Frank Wallace plays his own works with inspiration, determination, and a wealth of creativity. With top notch playing and excellent compositions, this synthesis is a spectacular success. / …he can match the musicality of any player out there…”
One of the most prolific guitar composers of our time, Frank Wallace’s works have been called “contemporary musical emancipation” by NewMusicBox.org. A prizewinner in the 2013 José Fernández Rojas International Composition Competition in Logroño, Spain, he was also a 2015 recipient of the Ewing Arts Award. Tirelessly working to expand the guitar repertoire, Wallace founded and directed Festival 21 in Boston, a celebration of 21st century guitar music. In New York he founded and co-directed the Second Sundays Guitar Series run by the New York City Classical Guitar Society and the Roger Smith Hotel. He has taught at the New England Conservatory as well as various colleges and universities in New England and many summer workshops. Wallace is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, with a BM in guitar performance.
I fell in love with the sound of Medieval music in 1979 when I toured Spain for three months, performing 12-16th century music in 800 year old cathedrals in Catalunya. This Medieval suite for guitar is the result of much love and adoration of the pure melodies and harmonies of that period: five original pieces with two arrangements of authentic medieval music, Imperayritz from the Llibre Vermell and a Cantiga de Santa Maria. The first movement, Montserrat, was featured in Issue #58 [July 2005] of Fingerstyle magazine.
from the Cantigas de Santa Maria
Montserrat is dedicated not just to the famous pilgrimage site west of Barcelona, but also to the actual pilgrimage Trio LiveOak made there in 1979. We were privileged to have a private viewing of the Llibre Vermell (Red Book) which contains Imperayritz, a hymn or dance of praise to the Virgin Mary, and 13 other important musical examples of 14th century Catalonia, now the northeast region of Spain. Abadesses is a memory of another phenomenal 12th century site, the cathedral at Sant Juan de les Abadessas [see photo below]. Loor means ‘praise’ in Gallego-Portuguese, the poetic language King Alfonso X, “El Sabio,” preferred for his large and magnificent collection of over 400 Cantigas de Santa Maria of the 13th century. Santa Maria Valed is one of the few songs thought to have actually been written by Alfonso when he was ill and in need of his precious Saint Mary’s aid. The suite concludes with an Estampie, a medieval dance form that features many sections not unlike the rondo form of later centuries. This particular one is modeled after the Robertsbridge Estampies, the earliest examples of written keyboard music.
Make a video using one of Frank Wallace’s newest pieces from the collection Film Scores and win a new composition from the composer. Start by downloading Film Scores for free with the promo code MOVIE.
Record one or more of the ten short preludes that comprise Film Scores, then make a video with it and post on YouTube and/or Vimeo anytime in August, 2015. The video can be a creative collaboration or a straight up performance, you choose. On Labor Day, September 7, 2015 the video with the most views, most time watched and best judgement from the composer will win a new composition by Frank Wallace. At the composers discretion, depending on number of participants and overall quality of the competition, 2nd and 3rd place winners may also receive shorter compositions. Go to https://gyremusic.com/products/film-scores/ and order the music as a PDF download; type MOVIE in the Promotion Code box and download the music for free. You will need to fill in all personal information in the process. The Code applies to PDF download only. Learn any one of the pieces, or more, and make your video.
Prizes
1st Place: a new composition by Frank A. Wallace; $200 gift certificate toward purchase of any products on www.gyremusic.com; 3 Skype or in-person lessons
2nd Place: $150 gift certificate toward purchase of any products on www.gyremusic.com; 2 Skype or in-person lessons
3rd Place: $75 gift certificate toward purchase of any products on www.gyremusic.com; 1 Skype or in-person lesson
Rules of the competition
1. Judging will be done on a ranking system. Four categories will be used: total views, total time watched, a subjective judgement of the composer on musical performance and sound production quality, and lastly overall creativity of the video. Participants will be ranked in each category with the highest total winning.
2. Winner will receive a composition from Frank Wallace within one year, length and difficulty to be determined by the winner’s abilities and general level of the competition; other prizes will be available with the announcement of winners
4. Videos may be posted at anytime in August 2015, but not before August 1.
5. You may post on more than one platform, statistics can be combined
6. Relevant production and performance information MUST be included in the Description box on YouTube: include all parties involved in production and performance, and name of the work followed by “by Frank A. Wallace, published by https://gyremusic.com/“
7. All video links received will be posted on Gyre’s blog and Facebook page as received
8. Collaborations with film makers, editors, storytellers, actors, artists, etc. are encouraged; you may make a video of the performance itself or use the music as background for a video; film a story, a scene, a performance, a poetry reading or make a slide show, anything you want. Creativity of production as well as performance quality will be judged by the composer
9. Your recording may be edited and mastered
10. You may include more than one song from Film Scores or any other Frank Wallace Gyre composition in the video
11. You may embellish or arrange the works, but must include at least some of the original solo guitar score
12. All data for videos must be sent to info@gyremusic.com on September 7, 2015, midnight at the latest, EST. Include Total views, Total time watched, a link and comments if you wish.
13. Length is not important, though longer videos may have some advantage in total time watched
14. Your email will automatically be included on future email promotions from Gyre Music – you may opt out at any time after the competition.
15. Encourage your friends to watch and share your video on all social media platforms, anything goes to get the most hits.
16. All music remains in the ownership of the composer and Gyre Music
Bret Williams is a funny guy. He’s friendly but edgy, likes to push the envelope in his podcast interviews. Here’s a couple of quotes from his website: “I don’t play strings not made by D’Addario. I’d rather die.” Or, “I hate Apple’s recording software, but I love the head of University of Washington’s guitar department, Michael Partington.” So this music is not what I expected. Williams’ music is sweet rather than ironic, it’s lyrical and nostalgic rather than biting and bitchy. It’s downright beautiful. Melody is king on this disc and the lovely interweaving of each line carries me through the whole CD time and again. The titles are worthy of comment: Pick That Up, Please; I Remember Dancing; and my favorite You’ll Tear Your Dress. While these come from Bret’s love of humor and irony, [that sometimes verges on vulgarity] they betray a love of the common, the mundane, the daily life of a Joe in New York City. But one who is not jaded by the need to conform to a style. Bret has created his own style. And it’s daring is to say, “I dare to love;” “I dare to laugh at myself;” “I dare to wear my heart on my sleeve.” “I dare to write beautiful music!”
This is a rare and fresh piece of work. It’s not daring in the sense of way out experimental music, dissonant harmonies or incessant repetition. But it is daring that one composer has chosen to write so much music for one unusual ensemble. And a nice one it is! With guitar, violin, clarinet and bass, Williams manages to use every instrument (except the bass) in every role he can conjure: solo, accompaniment, duets, dialogues. There is always a fresh texture and new rhythmic groove. Only the bass stays in its relatively typical role of being bass – usually plucking, or is it always, hmm, have to listen again…
I have just completed an interview with French composer Pascal Jugy who is about to release a CD of flute and ten-string guitar music and both have much in common. Both clearly love life and show that through an underlying pop/jazz feel. Through melody. I dare say Bret’s music is almost cabaret in style – a touch of the elegant Parisienne. It’s intimate and caring. It’s flirtatious. It says, “Have a seat and enjoy a glass of wine in the sunshine.”
Towards the end of the CD, I did want to hear something distraught, pissy or pissed off. A little anger, an argument, “Hey Bret, your music sucks, wanta fight?!” Or: Hey Jerk, You Spilled My Milk. But that’s just me and maybe it will come next time. I hope there is a next time, with or without spilled milk. We need more guitarists willing to join forces with other instruments and make a statement, commit to a new sound. We need more composers to care about guitar ensembles. We need to try new sounds and break away from the ordinary. This album is proof that one can do that without being weird or controversial, yet still new and relevant.
I have to end with another quote from Bret, “Why don’t you buy a CD from me? You can buy it from iTunes too, but Apple doesn’t care about me. They only care about themselves. You’ll also find me on all your favorite streaming services if you prefer to kill art in America.” http://www.bretwilliamsmusic.com/
PS – I sent this review to Bret and invited his response before publication. I thought there might be some further dialogue that could be interesting…here it is:
Holy shit Frank.
You almost made me cry in public. This is amazing. You should be writing at the Times and teaching at Juilliard. Let me know where you decide to post it. Feel free to post my response.
Bret
My response to Bret: Cluster Pluck, by Frank Wallace, from a new collection of seven short works entitled Film Scores, click on the title to read more and purchase. A free copy of Cluster Pluck and Sweet Betrayal is in the Sample PDF on that page. Keep your eyes peeled for a Movie Contest coming up this summer.
I began thinking about “chamber symphony” several years ago somewhat after the fact. I had written an extended 3 section song called Epitafio a un Pájaro for voice, flute, and 2 guitars. Sometime after it was done I was compelled to write another piece using the same motivic ideas – they were based on the name of the poet of Epitafio, Federico García Lorca. This was Un Establo de Oro for two guitars, flute and cello. La Perla del Pico for flute and guitar quartet, a guitar duo called Sombra para mis Gritos and finally a piece for narrator and guitar, De la Muerte Oscura, followed. I had written a small “chamber symphony” without knowing it!
I was left with the desire to “do it again.” Perhaps with more intention, as the first time I had no idea that I was going to go so far. My ensuing proposal to several ensembles in the Hartford area, with the steadfast support of Richard Provost and the Hartt School, led to the Hartt Five Zero Project, a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Guitar Department with five local ensembles participating. The Augustin Foundation has generously supported the commission of seven works for the following groups to be performed on April 12, 2012 at the Hartt School in Hartford. CT: Phenix Ensemble: Richard Provost, guitar; Anton Miller, violin; Rita Porfiris, viola Pandora Duo: Christopher Ladd, guitar; Janet Arms, flute New England Guitar Quartet: Nick Cutroneo; Jeremy Milligan; Daniel Hartington; Christopher Ladd Alturas Duo Scott Hill, guitar; Carlos Boltes, viola and charango Kaleidos: Yovianna Garcia, voice and guitar: Sayun Chang, voice and percussion.
