EDUARDO FERNÁNDEZ
Between Two Worlds
In his latest Labor recording, the great Uruguayan guitarist Eduardo Fernandez travels, with equal mastery, from the folk and classical worlds of South American music to the pop music of the Beatles and the “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” of George Gershwin.
LABOR RECORDS RELEASES
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
The Latin, Folk, Classical and Pop worlds of guitarist
EDUARDO FERNÁNDEZ
The new Labor release from the great Uruguayan guitarist Eduardo Fernández ranges from the great masters of South American music – classical and folk – to the Beatles and George Gershwin.
According to Fernández, no instrument is better qualified than the guitar, with its double citizenship, to cross the borders between popular, folk and classical music. And no musician is better positioned to make the point than this enormously talented guitarist. His recording is both a personal homage to the freedom to cross borders and a celebration of the instrument that makes it possible.
From the great folk guitarist-composers of Argentina, Brazil and Colombia to modern masters like the Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos, the Argentinian Alberto Ginastera and the Cuban Leo Brouwer, from the guitarist’s own arrangements of the Beatles to Brower’s evocation of Afro-Cuban ritual to duet arrangements and performances of Gershwin and Ginastera by Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Fernández shows everywhere the kind of mastery, ease and command of a wide range of idioms that tears down borders and fences.
Fernández was born in Uruguay in 1952 and began studying the guitar at the age of 7. His recorded repertoire is phenomenal; 31 recordings are currently listed for companies such as Erato, Denon, Arte Nova, Oehms Classics and English Decca, a label for which he has made 18 recordings. He has recorded Bach lute suites, music of Luciano Berio, most of Paganini’s music for guitar and violin, romantic works for guitar and guitar duets.
REVIEW / Oakland Tribune
Thoroughly inspiring music from master guitarists
Recorded in Puerto Rico over five years, this solo disc finds Uruguayan guitarist Fernandez between "two worlds" --classics and popular, both of which are completely suited to the acoustic guitar.
He plays passionately melodic solos by Augustin Barrios Mangore, Juan Falu, Leo Brouwer, Gentil Montana, Roland Dyens, Alberto Ginastera and George Gershwin -- "Fascinatin' Rhythm," (joined by the arranger, Carlos Barbosa-Lima).
Finally, he says, "as a Beatlemanic of long standing" (he was born in 1952), he couldn't resist including two of John and Paul's more "classical" tunes: "Eleanor Rigby" and "Blackbird." Fernandez is a wonderfully free player; you'll tap your toes and sing along.
--Stephanie von Buchau, CONTRIBUTOR
Bio
EDUARDO FERNÁNDEZ was born in 1952 in Uruguay and began his studies of guitar at age 7; his principal teachers were Abel Carlevaro, Guido Santórsola and Héctor Tosar. He won first prize in the Andrés Segovia Competition in 1975; his New York debut two years later won critical accolades. Fernández has returned to the U.S.A. every season since then, playing with prestigious orchestras as well as giving recitals, always to great acclaim from critics and audiences. His London debut was in Wigmore Hall in 1983 and resulted in a contract with Decca, a label for which he has made 18 recordings – solo and with the English Chamber Orchestra and the London Philharmonic – covering a wide section of the repertoire from Bach to Berio. He has also recorded for Erato, Denon, Arte Nova and Oehms Classics g performing Bach lute suites, romantic works for guitar, most of Paganini’s works for guitar and violin, and guitar duets – all solo or with other distinguished artists. He has toured extensively in Europe, the Far East, South America and Mexico. He plays both modern guitar and period instruments, is an active composer and teacher, and has served as Artistic Director of major guitar festivals in his native country and elsewhere in South America.
Latin: Quechua