Welcome

Welcome to my online album of Renaissance and Baroque music for the guitar. You can download the album to your computer within the 'album' menu selection, above. The first piece, Conde Claros, is free. If you're on a Mac, click download. Your Mac should 'unzip' the file, and you'll find it in 'downloads'. Don't open it there; Drag and drop the entire file onto iTunes. You'll find it there. If you're on your iPhone, iPad of Android device, you'll have to download to your computer and sync your device. Or just search for me on iTunes because I'm there too for one dollar more. 

This album was recorded during a three year period in which I studied with two renowned teachers, Kevin Gallagher and Shawn Pickup. I focused my energy on these pieces and recorded them one or two at a time. We studied repertoire I have always admired but had never played before - music of the Renaissance. I chose to play pieces that work well on the guitar, focusing on six, and five 'course' music of the Renaissance vihuela and Baroque guitar. (For more on these early instruments, and the guitars I play on this album, click 'Guitars' from the menu above).

During the Renaissance, the lute and vihuela, (the proto-guitars of the era), were very popular, and there is a great wealth of material to choose from. Although rules and structure had tightened up in choral music during the Renaissance, one gets the feeling that the 'guitar composers'  of the day were exploring forms, and expressing their musicality in a more personal way. This music can be free-flowing and experimental, and on occasion it can even sound modern. I have included Baroque music as well, to show how structure began to evolve on the instrument.

To me, classical guitar music is not formal classical music. I mean that in a good way. The intimate nature of the instrument is best appreciated in a small room, enjoyed by a small group, or just the player himself. Not a lot has changed in five hundred years regarding the way this instrument is enjoyed, and I get the feeling that the guitar composers I feature on this album wrote this music in their living rooms. So, five hundred years later I bring you this great music recorded in the privacy of my own living room. Although I invested in studio quality recording equipment, it was not my intention to produce a studio album. I did my best to eliminate ambient sounds, but a little background atmosphere inevitably crept in. If you listen very closely you may hear a few sounds of the city, as well as Oscar, the cat.

For a full description of the music and composers on this album, click 'music' above. If you're interested in the recording processes that went into making this album, click 'gear' above. Check out my blog too, covering topics spanning from music, guitars, gear to vintage stereo. 

Thank you for visiting my site. This is music to chill-out to, and I would consider it a compliment if it puts you to sleep.