10FEB2001

Showed up at X's concert - the security seemed tight - just wanted to check it out and couldn't choke up $35 for a ticket. Ended up on a "late seat" ... glad (but not proud) that magic still happens... got in just as she came on stage.

First I thought she had amped her guitar because it sounded like it has a cheap pick-up or poor equalization - later found out it was not amped - but sounded unpleasanty muddy.

She opened with a Granados dance #5 - followed by Recuerdos: "In selecting the program I decided to chose Recuerdos because of its folk origin.... " She played it quite slowly with a good tremelo and lots or rubato - very meditative - almost too much.

She had a lot of hair - long curly hair with ears showing. Masculine like many women here. I guess feminity is going out of fashion. The 4-wheel, $-worshipping society gives selective preference to the agressive, the egotistic, the selfish. I am not talking about Sharon as I do not know her. Most girls here turn me off - the bodies are ok but the minds are - what can I say - distanced - in the clouds - on the highway?!

She continued with a big gentleman from Amazon Forests who's been touring with her. He was surrounded by percussion instruments and accompanied her on I guess his compositions. Sharon played mostly folk-style guitar of mostly chords. He also accompanied her on Lauro's Valse Criollo . Valse Venezolano No. 3 which she said was named as Natalia, his daughter. I didn't like her interpretations as the bass notes were not legato enough. The accompanying percussion was too obtrusive.

She has a very warm tone - actually way too warm - her playing is very clean - her technique was solid but despite me being totally a "feminist" sometimes I think a woman just does not have a man's right-hand "punch".

Overall it seemed she was bringing the classical guitar to a folk level - at least for this project - and I do not know how much she is gratified by it. I left at half-time

Sorry if this is an ignorant review.
Ciao
Reza

>I do not know neither her nor her playing, but your comments seem well thought and >seriously motivated.
Ciao Reza.
 
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HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A STUPID REVIEW: OK, maybe there is some truth to it, but the fact is that playing the guitar is very very difficult. Performing on it is even more difficult. But to criticize is soooooooooo easy.

JUNE 2003

Isbin & Morgenstern Headline Appalachian Summer Festival

by Roger A. Cope*

[HAD TO DELETE THE ARTICLE DUE TO COPYRIGHT NOTICE]

Too much hubris. Not enough art.

*We welcome Roger A. Cope to the pages of CVNC. He is a guitarist, currently serving on the faculty of Brevard College, and he publishes the outstanding e-mail newsletter, Guitar News ©, available upon request to cihr@mchsi.com. See our Western Calendar for his next concert, in Highlands, on July 30.a