August 2000 qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqvolume 18 no 12

Brad Richter
Cedar Park, Derby, June 10 2000

The current season of concerts presented by the Derby Classical Guitar Society was brought to an end in superb style with a recital by the personable American guitarist Brad Richter.

In a programme which relied heavily on his own compositions, Brad Richter won over the audience with his relaxed and friendly stage manner and class performances of pieces, many of which were introduced with interesting and often amusing, anecdotes; the stories, of how his own compositions (and stories of same) came about being particularly fascinating.

His original works presented on tonight's programme included The Harvest - a three-movement piece with Leo Brouwer overtones; a superb untitled piece in which he invited audience members to suggest titles for it, to be handed in, after the concert; Starry Night on the Beach (with Federales) - a tale of camping in Mexico and a brush with the law; Four Native Tales - a wonderfully descriptive and imaginatively written piece of music telling of the myths of North American Indians and Two Preludes - two, from eight pieces, which were originally written as studies and mistakenly published as preludes.

From such quality writing it is difficult to isolate any particular item as standing out from the rest, but from a personal preference Starry Night... and the Native American Myths were the highest part in a programme which was never short of excellent.

As good as the non-Richter pieces are (works by Brouwer, Schumann, Barrios, Dyens and Piazzola), I personally could have dispensed with these on this occasion and, if the other original pieces are representative of this composer's writing, would have enjoyed a programme made up entirely of Richter's works - so well-written, interesting and entertaining they are. I seem to remember, several year's ago, reviewing this player's first recording which was a mixture of original and non-original works, and saying something along the same lines as the above.

One encore was given, which was an evocative and sensitive rendition of Asturias.

It has been a good season for the DCGS and it seems fitting that it ended on a particular high this evening.

Steve Marsh

November 2000 ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssvolume 19 no 3

Four Native Tales
by Brad Richter
GSP: 20 pages

These pieces were inspired by the history, culture and music of the Native American. Each piece includes, as its foreword, a lengthy story from which the piece has been derived. The opening piece, How the Sun Came, begins on an unbarred 0/4 time signature - who can say they have seen that before? It starts with a very tricky semi-quaver idea that constantly recurs, getting more involved and gathering momentum as it goes. The semi-quaver runs interspersed with fast moving chords that lead to an impressive crashing climax. The Waters Beneath is marked Tempo Rubato but this is also by no means easy for it turns very quickly into a chordal tremelo idea involving all four right hand fingers. To be fair, an alternative way of playing this section is given as an ossia, and might prove more workable to most players unused to using the right hand fourth finger. How Death Came splits the stave into two for most of this piece, and is built up over a base drone and an offbeat tambora. This is also difficult to get your fingers round but worth the effort for the dramatic effect it achieves. The final Unpromising Hero begins Tempo Rubato before turning into an Allegro of considerable power. Time signatures change and rhythms bounce around a great deal before the opening returns to finish this little set.

This is very original material, quite tonal, impressive to play but rather difficult and requires much work to get them up to the required standard. Having said that they are of high quality and worth investigating if your prowess is up to it. The printing is exemplary as usual with this publisher.

Chris Dumigan

February 1999 qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqVolume, 17 No. 6

FRACTAL REFLECTIONS, CD.

BRAD RICHTER: The Harvest, Fractal Reflections, When the Caged Bird Sings, Eight Preludes, Meditation and Chant, Artemis and Apollo.

Brad Richter (guitar) with Jennifer Hambrick (flute) and Arturo Guzman (second guitar).

Harmon Records

Here’s another entry in the guitarist composer stakes, and it’s always interesting to see what individuals create as opposed to select. The Harvest is an open-hearted tonal work in three movements, recalling Richter’s autumn return to Oklahoma at the time of the burning of the stubble. Easy going, full of American charm, it makes for a pleasing opener. I admit I had to look up fractal in the dictionary, a word of somewhat curious and precise connotations. I’d reveal all, but you want to look it up yourself, don’t you...the somewhat fragmentary nature of the piece is redolent of the word, a soundscape of timbres.

When the Caged Bird Sings is for flute and guitar. A soft melody introduces the work, and there is a gradual metamorphosis by means of which the work gathers in intensity, working towards a powerful central climax which eventually dissipates and returns to a sorrowful lilting. Personally, I think caged birds are the saddest of creatures, an utter anomaly of nature; maybe Richter’s piece reflects this too? The sensitivity of the dedication makes me hope this might be the case. Whether or not this is so, it’s certainly a good piece to listen to.

The Eight Preludes form the substantial spine of this CD, a set of mood expressions which are at times uncannily accurate. The opening sensuality of Desire, the tightness of Frustration, the gentle looking back of Regret, the sheer exhilaration of Elation - and all the rest - are well realised both compositionally and in the player’s interpretation. Richter is an accomplished guitarist fully capable of realising his ideas with confidence.

There is a definite hint of Satie in the simple Meditation, broken as the piece moves into Chant whose occasional rapid-fire slurs and rasgueados punctuate an otherwise quasi-dreamy atmosphere.

The disc concludes with the guitar duet Artemis and Apollo, a light and playful work with easily flowing lines and some attractive naily percussion effects, all of which evokes dancing in the sun, a warm ending to this interesting programme.

Chris Kilvington

November 1998 qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq Volume, 17 No. 3

THE HARVEST by Brad Richter

Gsp 143. 13 pages.

The first movement entitled Dance of the Harvest Fires is paradoxically both simultaneously bright and nostalgic, a hint of Andrew York at times in its dashing figures. The Shepherd’s Dream to some extent belies its gentle title, founded as it is upon a central section vaguely reminiscent of both Giuliani and Villa-Lobos in a technical manner, a pleasing lower string melody singing beneath open-string arpeggios. A breezy atmosphere pervades the concluding Pasture at Dawn, again livelier than one might have expected - not that I have a problem with that. A pleasing tonal work of considerable charm at grade 8-ish level by an American guitarist-composer, one which could easily find favor in concerts.

8 PRELUDES by Brad Richter

Gsp 144. 26 pages.

Here’s a substantial concert set by a performer-composer from the USA. Various tunings are employed as the work unfolds, with Richter suggesting a second prepared instrument be used in performance. He places great emphasis on precise tone colours as evidenced in a page of easy to follow graphics indicating the position of the right hand. I believe this can only be taken so far, as other criteria inevitably come into play - but it’s a useful guide to his intentions.
The music is built on eight emotions, or states. Musing is an apt title for the slurring to/from open strings which creates an interesting abstract effect. Desire has sensual chordal outer sections with insistent tambor. A dark mood is initially engendered in Doubt by the repeated minor 2nd interval, a mood never displaced all the way to the big conclusion. An accumulation of powerful chords is a clever way of expressing Frustration, although here there is surely a resolution with the terminating pianissimo ending. Similarly Anger is easily experienced with its strong rasgueados and finger slapping of the guitar neck. In spite of an animated central section Regret has a perpetual melancholy about it, and Solitude is simply quiet and reflective. Elation is last, a truly joyful piece with its bright harmonics and string slaps, an eventual fingerboard scampering providing a rhythmically happy ending to this advanced ‘suite’ which is the province of the serious player not afraid of detail.

Chris Kilvington

March 1997qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqVolume, 15 No. 7

FRACTAL REFLECTIONS, for solo guitar by Brad Richter GSP 142. eight pages.

This is an interesting and well constructed work I would be glad to hear in performance. Although guitar friendly it is happily not as predictable as many other idiomatic works, and, more importantly, has an individual character. Brad Richter was a student at the Royal College of Music and this piece is dedicated to Carlos Bonell.

Deceptively simple, in a linear style, Fractal Reflections uses a few special effects sparingly and effectively exploits the guitar's natural dissonances. Apart from harmonics and pizzicato, these effects are mainly in one recurring motif using rasgueado and slapping over the sound hole, followed by the left-hand fingers rhythmically striking the body of the guitar in a loose imitation of the right hand’s rasgueado.

Beginning with a quiet introduction in single note harmonics the subsequent theme is attractive and accessible. At a fast pace (crotchet 126-132) the aforementioned recurring rhythmic motif leads to rapidly strummed fixed shaped chords rising beyond the fret board. Essential scale-based contrasts with the preceding choral writing leading to more rasguedaos, the logical return of the rhythmical motif and a apparent breaking up of images.

A more lyrical and melodic bridge provides calm and coherence, before returning to the theme. The piece culminated energetically with repetitions of the rhythmic motif.

As usual with all GSP productions the printing is excellent, all performance directions plain and clear. I found the fingering on one occasion to be awkward, but as it is undoubtedly the composer’s own choice, it should be considered because of the sound quality. Another solution is possible, but perhaps not true to Richter’s intentions. Recommended.

-Emma Martinez-
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