Capricho árabe by Francisco Tárrega
Hi all! I'm currently working on Capricho árabe as the first of my RCM Grade 9 pieces. I'm not sure if I'll use it for the exam someday (leaning a little more toward Barrios - Waltz 3 for the Romantic list), but it's a piece I've wanted to learn ever since I heard the classical guitar.
I'm currently three months into learning the piece. This is a recording I made at the end of month 2, and by next week I'll film a progress update. I'd really love any and all tips on how to make this piece come alive!
Thank you, and wishing a happy new year
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You're off to a very good start with one of the great 'standards' of the guitar repertoire, Jon. I'll offer a few critical comments, since this seems to be what you are asking for. My main criticism is that, musically speaking, your interpretation lacks the 'capriciousness' that the title seems to call for. For my taste, the piece should have a somewhat whimsical character - for the, moment, if I can put it this way, you approach is far too 'serious'. I think this stems from the fact that you are at present focused on technical issues - on individual notes, rather than larger phrases. This of course is entirely normal as we learn new repertoire. It can take a long time until we really absorb the musical ideas. (I once attended an after-concert gathering with the great French guitarist Alexandre Lagoya. I remember him saying, that, in general, he waited two years (!!) before bringing new repertoire to the concert stage.) In any event, I think what you need to focus on is making the many scale-like flourishes in this piece sound like single musical gestures that have a particular direction. I'm not suggesting this is easy to do, not least because it involves enormous technical security - something that few amateurs possess! (I certainly don't!) But in my experience, it is usually possible to find solutions appropriate to our own technical limitations. Take, for instance, the long chromatic scale that leads into the D major section. One approach to this is to race through it in a single unrelenting accelerando. Well, I'm sure Pepe Romero can do that if he wants to. But I can't, and it's not for lack of trying! My technique just doesn't allow it - in fact, if I do try, the result will be disastrous, much worse than just playing through it slowly! Such passages demand an individualized approach. There is no one size fits all here. And indeed, if you listen to a variety of professional guitarists playing this piece, you will find that each takes this passage a little differently. I'm in no position to tell you what you need to do in this and other similar passages - but you need to find something that is musically effective while falling within your own technical capabilities.
I hope this overly wordy response has been of some use. I don't want to convey the impression that you aren't already playing this piece well. By the way, if you haven't watched it, there's a very good TonerBase 'lesson' on the Capricho Arabe with Zoran Dukic:
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David Krupka WOW! Thank you so much for your detailed thoughts. You're 100% right, I'm looking for musical suggestions/constructive criticism, and I appreciate you taking the time!
your interpretation lacks [...] capriciousness [...] focused on technical issues - on individual notes
Absolutely right! This first take was filmed just days after I was able to start "playing the right notes". I hope that my 2nd take will show some progress here! (see next post)
Alexandre Lagoya [...] waited two years before bringing new repertoire to the concert stage
Smart man, I believe this is a very standard traditional approach. However, as a hobbyist rather than professional, my hypothesis is that people might be interested in the process/journey of learning a piece, as well as the final result. That said, it'll surely be 1-2 years before I "take it to the concert stage" by taking my RCM Level 9 exam and/or making a "final recording". I hope some others might be interested in following the development!
making the many scale-like flourishes in this piece sound like single musical gestures that have a particular direction
Thank you, that's very valid. Over the last month I've invested a lot of my practice in the chromatic scale and the opening scale.
The chromatic I'm finding difficult to feel like a real "climax" of the piece - I'm finding it difficult especially to land the accelerando while also crescendoing. It feels like one of the two happens, but rarely both! In the final quintuplet, I've gone back and forth between using a slur and a plucked scale. My current intention is to pluck it, but in the new recording I accidentally slipped back to a slur
The opening 32nds passage is feeling difficult just due to the raw speed of `im` scales. However, after listening to several recordings, I think I understand now a little better how to accel. and (especially) how to deccel. I'm still having a hard time playing it with rest strokes instead of free, but that'll come with time I think.
Take, for instance, the long chromatic scale that leads into the D major section. One approach to this is to race through it in a single unrelenting accelerando [...] Such passages demand an individualized approach [...] you need to find something that is musically effective while falling within your own technical capabilities
This is really interesting to me. I haven't considered this approach before - of deliberately playing a passage in an individualized way, rather than just playing it as a sloppy/work-in-progress version of my favorite recordings. I think I might bring back that quintuplet-slur...
Thank you again so much. Wishing you a happy 2023, and I'd love any thoughts on this progress update! (see next post)
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Hi all! Yesterday I recorded an update on this piece. Over the last month I've worked a lot on musical interpretation, especially by comparing several famous recordings, in addition to the obvious technical challenges.
Would love any and all thoughts!
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Final progress video is now live! I’m very happy with how this is turning out. I’ll keep working on this piece, but will focus on others
Hope you enjoy
End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
