Danielle Saxon Reeves &
Mark Willetts: Dodici Corde
Dodici Corde
Danielle Saxon Reeves
& Mark Willetts
Saturday, 24th April, 2010, 7.30pm.
Worcester Arts Workshop,
21 Sansome St,
Worcester. WR1 1UH
Tickets: £8 (£6) U16's FREE
Reservations: Tickets
01886 832715
A New Artist's Scheme production
Dodici Corde ("Do-dee-chi Cor-day" - "Twelve Strings")
The Dodici Corde guitar duo formed in 2008 bringing together the talents of musicians Danielle Saxon Reeves and Mark Willetts.
The duo have a special interest in the repertoire of the early Romantic Guitar, with a contemporary yet historically informed approach.
Dodici Corde explore the all too seldom heard works for two guitars of composers such as Giuliani, Sor, Carulli, Diabelli, von Call and de L’Hoyer providing audiences with a rare opportunity to hear these magnificent gems of the early 19C repertoire. Performing with a distinctive sound, Mark plays an 1832 Panormo and Danielle plays a French guitar made c1840. Historically informed performance on period instruments.
With over forty five years playing experience between them, they have appeared as soloists and ensemble players in performances all over the UK; including appearances at The Royal Festival Hall at The South Bank; The Bolivar Hall, London; Hagley Music Festival; The CBSO centre in Birmingham; The Royal Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool and the Droitwich Spa Festival.
Mark is a member of the classical guitar section of the Midlands Fretted Orchestra, the award winning ensemble which Danielle founded in 2001.
Both share a passion for education, being accomplished teachers in their own right.
Visit the website » Dodici Corde
Download » poster
The concert
Whilst it is still comparitively rare to hear a historically informed performance using period instruments, concerts featuring the solo classical guitar (circa 19C) are not unknown. Several modern players have even commissioned reproduction period instruments, all in the pursuit of the authentic early nineteenth century voice. To date however, we do not know of any other duo who play period guitar music on period guitars. And what guitars they are!
The timbre and tone of these instruments is striking in both its beauty and articulation and revisiting these works on period instruments makes a welcome change for ears accustomed to the powerhouse that is the modern classical guitar.
It requires a new approach to performance in order to pull off this kind of performance convincingly, and with an innate sensitivity to the musical demands of this music coupled with an extraordinary understanding of the cultural and social mores of the time, Dodici Corde rise to the task with characteristic vim and vigour. Theirs, is an immersive performance - part musical recital, part performance art - and they go to great pains to achieve authenticity in their production even down to the clothes they wear.
The guitars are the genuine item but so too is the approach to concert dress and in appearance it is easy to forget that you are listening to a modern 21st C duo performing in a modern 21st C space. Theirs is no museum piece however, and with such high production values instilled in the performance, the music is still capable of touching something deep within us even after all these years.
"Beautiful music"
"Wonderful"
Recommended.