MUTHSPIEL, WOLFGANG - ETUDES / QUIETUDES (LP)

With his new solo program, Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel celebrates the acoustic guitar, to which he switched from the violin at the age of thirteen. The core of the program is a collection of concert etudes that Muthspiel composed for his instrument. Each individual piece is characterized by a specific atmosphere, ranging from highly virtuosic and sparkling to poetically reflective. The etudes are joined by four additional pieces, including Muthspiel's heartfelt homage to Bill Evans, a saraband by Johann Sebastian Bach, a partially improvised theme by Paul Motian, and a fast miniature. With Etudes/Quietudes, Muthspiel seemingly effortlessly bridges the gap between two musical worlds that have been pivotal in his musical life: the classical guitar and the art of improvisation derived from jazz.