Hey!

Welcome to the second issue of the New Classical Guitar Newsletter. We hope you enjoyed the first issue and would like to thank you for the numerous feedback.

What is virtuosity? This question runs through today's edition. We are delighted to show you a special YouTube Find of the Week with Noa Drezner presenting wonderful Flamenco from Israel. Additionally, in the Sheet Music section, you can download the second movement from "Dedications" by Eduardo Rodriguez, which Eduardo has exclusively provided for the newsletter (THANK YOU!).

The centerpiece of today's edition is our Know How short interview with composer Alexander Liebermann, in which he succinctly addresses our questions about composing and possibly inspires some of you to write their first or next piece. The Album of the Week takes a wild and new approach. "...And I play guitar" is a magnificent title in search of the question: What does virtuosity mean today?

The finale today features cello and guitar, and guitar and cello: Mirror Strings. A super exciting ensemble.

Have a good read!
Stefan & Willi

YOUTUBE FIND OF THE WEEK
Female Flamenco with Noa Drezner

A woman behind a Flamenco guitar is a rather rare sight indeed. We're all on fire even before hitting play!

And wow, the first notes are a clear statement of the direction this short but enchanting journey is taking. Noa Drezner has us intrigued right from the start. Captivating and spacious at the same time, the guitarist conveys the essence of Flamenco – a style strongly dominated by male performers. On her website, she writes that her Israeli roots and travels around the world, with longer stays in India and Spain, have allowed for a freer approach to music and ultimately led to finding her own signature and sound aesthetics. That hits the nail on the head!

We wish for more female energy and sensitivity in Flamenco guitar playing. It somehow makes this music more accessible in its own way.

Noa is definitely at the top of the list for upcoming Flamenco listening sessions! And by the way, the video itself, with its slightly shaky one-shot character, is kept lively and somehow appealing. Probably because it doesn't come across as smoothly polished as many studio session videos. On top of that, great sound! Enjoy!

You can find more about Noa Drezner here: www.noadrezner.com

SHEET MUSIC
Eduardo Rodriguez – Explorations (Second piece from “Dedications”)

In this edition, we want to sweeten your next practice sessions with a piece by Mexican composer Eduardo "Lalo" Rodriguez.

"Explorations" is a sonorous, ethereal character piece. However, it immediately brings a satisfied smile to the interpreter's face – like that of a little child when it begins to explore the world. Lalo has exclusively provided us with this piece for the newsletter. It is part of a collection of 5 compositions he has merged under the title "Dedications." We can look forward to the release of this series, in which he processes inspirations from his immediate surroundings. It grows from his very own understanding of music: ”We have to keep searching, and to keep the expression of this search. That’s what music is to me.”

Have fun searching, keeping, and exploring! More about Eduardo via www.eduardorodriguezmusic.com

ALBUM OF THE WEEK
"...And I Play Guitar" by Martin Steuber

On his new album with the rather modest title "…and I Play Guitar," – considering the demanding guitar work – Martin Steuber interprets, among other pieces, a new musical exploration of the Caprichos by visual artist Goya, composed by Michael Quell. The delicate, quiet oscillation of interwoven dissonances and the abrupt percussive or dynamic interruptions make associations with Goya's etchings come easily.

Furthermore, we find the interpretations of Berio's Sequenza 11 and the two-movement piece "Diffuse Planes" in pure septimal tuning (7-limit tuning, give it a Google) genuinely intriguing. All brilliantly played, with a high level of virtuosity.

Oh, and there's a question: Sine tones, a guitar played with a bow, and the title "Clair de Lune" in one context? If you can't imagine it, check out the album, and maybe you can also answer Martin Steuber's initial question for yourself: What does virtuosity mean today?

What else has he found in the process? He says: "What I found [...] is my love for the guitar once again."

Give it a listen and take on the challenge!

"...and I Play Guitar" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5h0QO1pD0VaZCrq0Www37g?si=rvnFWrjRSbqXyTDiUcRdjw

KNOW-HOW 
5 Questions for Alexander Liebermann about composing

1. "Three Miniatures" was your first piece for solo guitar. Since you don't play the guitar yourself: What, in your opinion, are the biggest challenges when composing for this instrument?

Well, it's not entirely accurate. I'm not a professional guitarist, but I do play a bit. I can play many basic chords and accompany a few songs, and so on. I think it's always important to have some understanding of the basic technical aspects of an instrument before composing for it. Often, one is not aware of the technical challenges of an instrument. This is naturally more difficult for some instruments, like the sousaphone, than for the guitar 😊. In such cases, thorough research about the instrument is necessary to find out what is possible.

2. For readers who would like to write something themselves.

A blank sheet of music paper. How do I start a composition? What advice do you give to your students? 

Undoubtedly, the beginning and the end are the most challenging moments in the creative process. It is paradoxically helpful to set limitations for yourself, as the director Orson Welles aptly noted: "The absence of limitations is the enemy of art." The more limitations you impose on yourself, the more creative you become. For example, if I say, "Compose a piece for the guitar by tomorrow," you might feel overwhelmed. However, if I give you the task of writing a two-minute guitar piece in the Romantic style based on the theme of Romeo and Juliet by tomorrow, you have a clear direction and can approach the creative process more easily.

3. What compositions for other instruments should one definitely listen to for inspiration? 

There is too much music I could list here, but currently, I am engaged with Étienne Perruchon's "5 Danses Dogoriennes" for cello and timpani, as well as Luciano Berio's arrangements of Beatles songs. These pieces are true treasures.

4. How do I find my own style in composing?

My teacher Steven Stucky, a student of Lutosławski and a Pulitzer Prize winner, once said that one spends their whole life searching for their "style." He suggested that you just write, and the "style" will develop on its own. This seems especially challenging nowadays, given the immense variety of styles and genres, and the internet providing hyper-accessibility. But whether what you write sounds like another composer or can be associated with a specific style, it will never be exactly like what you have composed.

I have a special admiration for the composer Erwin Schulhoff, who, in the early 20th century, boldly combined different styles and genres during a time when various genres started flourishing. He started in the style of post-Romantic music and the Second Viennese School but then integrated jazz elements and became neoclassical. In his mature period, his style evolved into a kind of melting pot, expressing an idiosyncratic and unmistakable voice.

I wrote an article on this topic to motivate young composers. Here is the link to the article:

https://alexanderliebermann.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Liebermann-Schulhoff.pdf

5. What, besides music, inspires you for your compositions?

I am extremely curious by nature and find inspiration everywhere, from astronomy to bird songs. Philosophy and various scientific topics also fascinate me. In the past, for example, I have composed numerous works inspired by bird songs. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with scientists to create pieces that engage with themes such as Placozoa (the simplest living animals in the world), the Anthropocene, and climate change.

Alexander Liebermann is a sought-after composer and member of the Music Theory and Ear Training department at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. His arrangements of animal sounds recently went viral, leading to features in publications such as National Geographic.

Website: alexanderliebermann.com
Alexander Liebermann on Instagram: instagram.com/lieberliner

GUITAR AND…
MIRROR STRINGS: A New Sound – Edvard Grieg: Holberg Suite, Op. 40

A constellation that doesn't cross our paths too often: "Mirror Strings" create a powerful yet transparent sound with two guitars and two cellos. Edvard Grieg composed the Holberg Suite, Op. 40 for piano and later arranged it himself for string orchestra. In this version, we believe that the best of both sonic worlds is brought together in a harmonious quartet. A delight for the ears, coupled with a location unusual for classical music and a small dance performance on top – refreshing, multifaceted, well done.

More about the project via mirrorstrings.com

OUTRO

We hope this issue gave you a little break from everyday life and inspired you to check out a thing or two. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them. The easiest way to do that is by replying to this newsletter via email. In the next issue, we have, among other things, a very beautiful and calm album lined up and a conversation with (classical) percussionist and producer Ingo Reddemann about rhythm and timing.

All the best,
Stefan & Willi

New Classical Guitar is a newsletter by Willi Leinen and Stefan Degel from TMBM. You can find our music and more information about our journey at t-m-b-m.com

On Spotify, we curate a playlist with our favorite pieces. Feel free to follow our New Classical Guitar Playlist at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ZwxJRAsW9Zs2JiS2eLy6a?si=9b2a737f01c043a4 and recommend new additions.