Adelaide: Beethoven and the Guitar Izhar Elias

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
• 1 Adelaide, Op. 46 for Viola and Guitar (Arr. N. Coste) 06:30
• 2 String quartet, Op. 59 No. 3 'Razumovsky': Andante con moto quasi allegretto for Guitar Duo (Arr. V. Schuster) 07:52
• 3 Potpourri on Favorite themes by Beethoven for Violin and Guitar (Arr. A Diabelli) 10:43
• 4 Piano Sonata No. 12, Op. 26: Marche Funèbre for Guitar Solo (Arr. S. Volker) 05:31
• 5 Piano Sonata No. 12, Op. 26: Andante varié and Rondeau for Guitar Duo (Arr. F. Carulli) 07:40
• 6 String quartet, Op. 18 No. 5: Tema con variazioni. Andante cantabile for Guitar Duo (Arr. V. Schuster) 09:12
• 7 Marcia. Allegro non molto - Adagio (Arr. W. Matiegka, Izhar Elias) 08:30
• 8 Menuetto. Allegro - Trio (Arr. W. Matiegka, Izhar Elias) 02:38
• 9 Adagio - Allegro scherzo (Arr. W. Matiegka, Izhar Elias) 04:51
• 10 Allegretto a la pollacca (Arr. W. Matiegka, Izhar Elias) 03:34
• 11 Andante quasi allegretto con variazioni - Allegro (Arr. W. Matiegka, Izhar Elias) 08:25
• 12 Marcia. Allegro non molto (Arr. W. Matiegka, Izhar Elias) 01:17
• 13 Excerpt of Andante Favori, WoO 57 for Guitar Solo (Arr. F. Carulli) 02:00
• Total Runtime 01:18:43

Info for Adelaide: Beethoven and the Guitar

This imaginative recital of chamber music by Beethoven takes its inspiration from the Romantic poem of the album title which describes the kind of unattainable love to which Beethoven was throughout his adult life susceptible, and from which he appears himself to have drawn creative energy. His own setting of Adelaide (the text of which appears in the booklet in both Matthisson's original and in English translation) was arranged by the 19th century guitarist composer Nicholas Coste; it introduces not only the playful Op.8 Serenade, perhaps the most obvious contender among Beethoven's music for a transcription of the piano part to the piano, but movements from two of his string quartets and even the funeral march from his Piano Sonata Op.26, transcribed for guitar solo or duo and played here on instruments of the period by a young and dynamic ensemble of European musicians, led by Izhar Elias. Izhar already released acclaimed recordings on Brilliant Classics, including guitar music in memory of Debussy (9246), spectacular transcriptions of Rossini arias (93902) and a sparkling survey of 17th century music from the Spanish territories (94352). Elias himself plays a selection of guitars on this recording, by Guadagnini and Stauffer père et fils, including a rare terz model, which is smaller than the regular model and tuned a minor third higher to produce a more brilliant and penetrating sound in company with other instruments.

The guitar is not the first instrument one associates with the towering figure of Beethoven, but he did know and appreciate the instrument, and even wrote some chamber music pieces for it.

This original and appealing programme presents works of Beethoven in chamber music arrangements with guitar, written by contemporaries, a practice that was quite common in the period, playing its role in the popularisation of the music.

Izhar Elias, guitar
Fernando Cordas, guitar
Zefira Valova, violin
Ivan Iliev, viola

Izhar Elias
(Amsterdam, 1977) is one of the most sought-after specialists in early music, chamber music and new music for guitar.

He has given concerts, lectures, and masterclasses, and been the soloist in concertos with renowned orchestras, in Europe, Russia, south-east Asia, Australia and the USA. He won the prestigious Dutch Music Prize in 2011, the highest musical award given by the Dutch government.

Through extensive research, he has been able to recreate a musical language of the Baroque, Classic and Romantic periods using original instruments and historical methods.

He has also premiered over 50 works and mixes different artistic disciplines in his collaborations with choreographers, experimental film makers and theatre directors. In 2014 he premiered the double concerto Schattenspiel, for electric guitar, classical guitar and big symphony orchestra, together with the composer and heavy metal guitarist Florian Magnus Maier in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

Izhar Elias’ impressive collection of CD releases have earned him worldwide critical acclaim. To name a few of his albums: Rossini’s opera Semiramide transcribed by Mauro Giuliani (guitar solo, Brilliant Classics), Hommage à Debussy (guitar solo, Brilliant Classics), Big Eye movies and music (guitar, recorder and movies, Phenom Records), Paisiello in Vienna (guitar, mandolin and fortepiano, Brilliant Classic), Carrousel (guitar and clarinet, Sound Liaison), Sharkiya (guitar, mandolin and harpsichord, IMI).

Recently the album Guitar Vibes has been released (Brilliant Classics), with works for guitar and strings, celebrating the universality of the guitar. Belgian magazine Stretto called the album “a remarkably original and very very special CD”.

Izhar Elias is surrounded by many world class musicians. A few of his remarkable collaborations: Together with guitarist Fernando Cordas Izhar Elias specializes in performing early 19th century duo’s on historical instruments. He has a unique duo with Georgian clarinet virtuoso Levan Tskhadadze. He is member of trio Cordevento (with Erik Bosgraaf – recorder and Alessandro Pianu – harpsichord), which revives the virtuoso music from the 17th century, a repertoire often on the border of art and popular music. Cordevento has performed in many of Europe’s most prestigious concert halls and early music festivals, such as the Konzerthaus (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels), Konzerthaus (Berlin), Concertgebouw (Bruges), and the Utrecht Early Music Festival.

Elias has studied with Ton Terra, the Groningen Guitar Duo, Zoran Dukic, Kees Hendrikse and Carlo Barone (19th century performance practice).The performance practice of the baroque guitar he learned from a.o. William Carter, Adrián Rodriguez van der Spoel and Lex Eisenhardt.

This album contains no booklet.