The music of Francisco Tárrega, mostly consisting of short pieces composed for his own use, has never quite gotten the respect accorded to other Spanish guitar composers from around the turn of the last century. But, well played, his works transcend their salon context, and no one could claim he didn't have a way with a tune. Sample the "Gran Vals," track 27, and wait until the statement of the first theme is ending; you'll hear something extremely familiar and may wonder whether Tárrega's heirs have ever realized any money on the deal. There are various recordings of the "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" (track 22) and of a few other pieces as well. This one, by Swedish guitarist Mats Bergström, uses a copy of an instrument (it seems to have modern strings, however) owned by Tárrega himself. It's lovely in the "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" and in the short, limpid polkas, waltzes, and other dances that are sprinkled through the program. The chief interest here may be the set of 16 preludes Bergström presents complete. That works well in itself, for the preludes are quite a varied showcase for the techniques that made Tárrega a hit in concert. The "Prelude No. 9 in B minor" is an arrangement of part of
Mendelssohn's "Fingal's Cave" overture, and the "Prelude No. 10 in D minor, Oremus," is based on a
Schumann piano piece. These works, and some of the longer Spanish-flavored pieces like the "Capricho arabe" (Serenata), don't quite have the dynamic oomph you may hope for. Perhaps this is due to the characteristics of the semi-historical guitar Bergström uses. It is, in any event, clean and agile in the more circumspect music, and the album is beautifully recorded in a Swedish studio. As a whole, it captures the qualities that made Tárrega a popular and charismatic figure.
