Listen & tracks
14 works · 64:54
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1 Marbles and Piracies Mark Viggiani 5:59
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2 The Rainmaker Mark Viggiani 3:08
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3 Copal Mark Viggiani 4:31
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4 Gun Mark Viggiani 4:57
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5 Mandala Mark Viggiani 5:43
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6 Hope Street Slalom Mark Viggiani 4:08
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7 Heading North Mark Viggiani 4:37
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8 Still Life Mark Viggiani 3:44
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9 Mandelbrot Mark Viggiani 3:10
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10 Bog Onion Road Mark Viggiani 4:47
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11 Fireflies Mark Viggiani 5:56
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12 Gordon River Mark Viggiani 4:25
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13 May Day Mark Viggiani 3:57
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14 Black Cat Tango Mark Viggiani 5:52
An engaging collection of pieces that showcases the guitar's expressive range and Mark Viggiani's own considerable talent.
Drawing on jazz, Celtic and Middle Eastern folk, contemporary classical writing, ambient colour and the tango, Viggiani fuses those strands into music that is charming, sometimes thrilling, and always atmospherically charged.
He performs widely as a soloist and in various groups. His compositions, inspired by nature and spirituality, have been taken up by ensembles including Z.O.O. Duo and the new-music group Sonance.
Joined here by percussionist Steve Falk, violinist Hope Csutoros and recorder player Racheal Cogan, he has made a thoroughly absorbing disc.
In the artist’s words
The Rainmaker began as a recasting of the Elizabethan lutenist John Dowland's ballad 'If My Complaints Could Passions Move'. Through many versions, it has condensed down to the mostly solo version heard here.
Copal A dance in alternating bars of seven and six, with other things thrown in. Vaguely Middle Eastern in sound, but not an attempt to imitate music of any particular culture. A vehicle for recorder player Racheal Cogan and violinist Hope Csutoros.
Black Cat Tango – I have been excited by Hope's violin playing since studying with her at the Victorian College of the Arts in the late '80s. This piece was originally written for this combination, but has been performed by many others. The inspiration is probably Tom Waits' use of European dances on recordings like Rain Dogs. I wanted to create a vehicle for jazz improvisation based on something other than a swing or rock groove, in this case a habanera.
Mandala was originally part of a suite of pieces composed for the octave guitar. It's a sort of slip jig, with a beat dropped every two bars. Supported by a hand drum, it has become an interesting basis for improvisation. The second section uses the tune minimalistically, in the style of someone like Steve Reich. The piece Mandelbrot (German for almond bread) is a re-examination of the same tune, treated more freely and abstractedly.
Gun is a piece that arose as a reaction to the Port Arthur massacre. It is a free improvisation based on some extended techniques that I happened to be exploring at that time. The horror of the occasion gave these sounds emotional significance and eventually led to this performance. The guitar is close-miked and reverb has been added to the track.
Anyone who has lived in the suburb of Brunswick will know what a crazy place it is to drive a car. The narrow but busy streets are an obstacle course that it takes a while to learn to negotiate. All of my titles come a long time after the pieces they describe, and the phrase 'Hope Street Slalom' seemed appropriate for the interplay of guitar and drums, convoluted but staying out of each other's way.
Fireflies The chord sequence and developing melody was inspired by Keith Jarrett, while the technique of overdubbing (there are four guitar parts) has its precedent in Bill Evans' amazing album Conversations With Myself. Heading North also uses this technique, though on a smaller scale.
There are many other influences on the CD, ranging from classical tremolo technique (Gordon River) to contemporary guitar composers such as Leo Brouwer. The basis of the music is of course the freedom of improvisation.
Reviews
Young guitarist has flair, talent!
Viggiani has written with fluency for the instrument, utilizing the guitar's potential with assurance and flair.
Viggiani has talent, and obviously revels in the chance to build music on the spot ... A quick thinking, inventive musician.
Throughout the proceedings, the listener is left in no doubt that Mark Viggiani is an outstanding new talent whose ability to play the guitar is more than equalled by his ability to write challenging and original music.
Artists
Mark Viggiani
guitar
Mark Viggiani is a classical and contemporary guitarist and composer who performs widely as a soloist and in ensembles. His compositions, inspired by nature and spirituality, have been taken up by groups including Z.O.O. Duo and the new-music ensemble Sonance.
Performers
- Mark Viggiani · guitar
- Steve Falk · percussion
- Hope Csutoros · violin
- Racheal Cogan · recorder
Details
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 64 minutes 54 seconds
- Release date
- 22 Jul 2013
- Categories
- Cross-cultural, Folk music
- Sound recording copyright
- ℗ 2013 Mark Viggiani
- Catalogue
- MCD 078
- EAN
- 9314574007824
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