Newspaper Aamulehti 30 November 2004

Piano music by three guitars - in a way of one big instrument

It was a great pleasure to listen to the concert of Danish Trio Campanella formed by Christophe Dejour, Frank Massa and Thomas Winthereik. There are not too many guitar concerts arranged in Tampere, an annoying fact, which made the concert even more unique delicacy for the audience.
When comparing Campanella with its Swedish cousin Progetto Avanti, which is specialized in orchestral works, it appeared to be not only more traditional but also more elegant and controlled. Goyescas from Granados and Iberia from Albeniz are originally composed for piano, but the arrangements for three guitars were brilliant without loosing any colours or details from the original version.
It is unnecessary to try to compare piano and guitar, but the most unifying character seems to be the wide range of possibilities to express the moods and musical landscapes. Campanella's performance was art of colours, tones, shades and touching details.
The acoustics in the great hall was a perfect place to transmit the finest details and most slender tones of the guitar surprisingly well.
The beginning of Goyescas was full of soft and gentle tones. Coloquio en la reja was both picturesque and sinewy, whereas the emotionally charged atmosphere of El Fandango de Candil offered slender technical brilliance and analyzed musical formulation. Different ways of guitar playing were highlighting the tensions and opposite emotional worlds.
In the second part trio played four movements from Iberia. The performance was full of colours and controlled virtuosity in its entirety, but compelling El Corpus Christi created the high point of the concert. It was not a trio anymore, it was bigger and more orchestral one big instrument, creating counterbalance between speed and lyrical and impressionistic atmospheres.

Kirsti Vanninen

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