Christopher Parkening - Elmer Berstein: Concerto for Guitar

Christopher Parkening is one of the world's preeminent virtuosos of the classical guitar. His virtuosity has captivated audiences all over the world. Starting really young under the wing of his mentor Andres Segovia, Christopher Parkening never stopped to surprise his admirers. This disc contains the recordings from his early career and the most recent ones. It is interesting to compare the young and the mature Parkening on the same disc. In Elmer Bernstein's Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra "For Two Christophers" the style of Parkening's playing is much more steady and full, as compared to the early recording on this disc. The concerto did not come easy to Parkening; it is evident in the solo parts of the second movement, where--if listen carefully--one hears the performer "struggling" for each note. Time hasn't change Parkening's approach to the Spanish classical guitar repertoire. The surprising piece on the disc is Jack Marshall's 'Essay'. After listening to the latest recordings of Christopher Parkening you are now transferred to the 1950's where a 19-year-old Parkening was just starting his virtuoso career.