Dedicated To
My beloved sons Christopher and Jeffrey who’ve been the love of my life from the moment they were born. I am so blessed, so fortunate, and so very proud to be their father.
Thanks To
There are no words adequate to express my deep appreciation to “Team Westling” for helping me sound and look better than I could have ever imagined. They’re also my best friends:
TASO COMANESCU
Exquisitely talented classical guitarist, wonderfully patient teacher, wise musical mentor, and recording studio “Vince Lombardi”. There’s no way this CD could have happened without Taso’s enthusiastic encouragement from day one.
BRANDON JONES
Phenomenally talented recording engineer, movie sound effects virtuoso, brilliant classical guitarist, and sound wizard “Brandalf” par excellence.
KEVIN LAMBERT
Superb graphic artiste, consummate classical guitarist, amazing second set of ears.
“Good music is a kind of language that speaks of another, more gentle, more poetic world.
Of all the musical instruments that man has created, for me none speaks this language more clearly than the guitar.”
TECHNICAL INFO
CD COVER PHOTOGRAPH
Jeffrey Westling, Shanghai
CD BACK PHOTOGRAPH
Christopher Westling, San Juan Capistrano
RECORDED FEBRUARY-MAY, 2015
Audio Mechanics, Burbank, CA
Microphones: Sanken CU-41
Guitar: 1973 José Ramirez 1a
PRODUCERS
Taso Comanescu & Brandon Jones
ENGINEERING, MIXING, MASTERING
Brandon Jones
MUSICAL MENTORING
Taso Comanescu
ART DIRECTION
Kevin Lambert
LINER NOTES
The Italian musicologist Oscar Chilesotti (1848-1916) compiled a collection of some 300 pieces of lute music. The great guitarist Andrés Segovia (1893-1987) arranged and recorded a suite from these known as “Six Anonymous Lute Pieces”. The Preludio and Canzone are two of Segovia’s six. Edited by Christopher Parkening, from “The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 2”.
Many think Scarborough Fair was written by Simon & Garfunkel in 1965, but it actually dates back to Renaissance England. Arranged by David Brandon, from “The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 2”.
Paul McCartney composed Yesterday, his timeless reflection on loss, in 1965. Arranged by Mark Westling. Dedicated to my beloved father, Roger Harry Westling (1926-2015). R.I.P. Dad, you’re the best father a son could ever hope for. I love you and will miss you forever.
Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909) is one of the most important composers for the classical guitar. His compositions are staples for any serious guitarist. These two simple studies by Tárrega are equal in beauty to his larger works. Estudio in C Major edited by Christopher Parkening, from
“The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 2”. Estudio #2 in E minor edited by Scott Tennant, from “Pumping Nylon, Supplemental Repertoire”.
Romanza is a standard in every classical guitarist’s repertoire and the first piece I learned. Arranged by Mark Westling.
Late one evening in the recording studio I was struggling with David Brandon’s lovely French Lullaby; I couldn’t get “into the zone”. Taso told me to pause and take a deep breath. I gazed at the word “Lullaby” and visualized long ago my 1 year old babies (now accomplished young men) falling softly asleep on my chest. I hope their sense of safety and tranquility back then comes through in this recording.
Marie’s Dance was composed in 1993 by my best friend Gregory Coleman (1949-2005) for his then new student Marie Steiner who had just turned 80 years old. Greg greatly admired Marie and wrote this piece for her as homage to her taking up such a difficult instrument so late in life and in deep appreciation of her generous support of his music. Marie passed away in 2013 at the age of 100. This is the world premiere recording of Marie’s Dance.
“The song of the piano is a discourse.
The song of the cello is an elegy.
The song of the guitar is... a song.”
Inspired By
ANDRÉS SEGOVIA
The greatest guitarist of all time.
CHRISTOPHER PARKENING
Legendary recording and concert artist, author, educator and good friend. The beauty, power, virtuosity, musicality and elegance of his playing are unsurpassed.
GORDON LIGHTFOOT
The reason I first picked up a guitar. I was stopped cold when I first heard his timeless “The Last Time I Saw Her Face” in the fall of 1969. He unknowingly and single-handedly revived my long-dormant musical interests.
