#4634, Unusual or Adapted Guitars
When you think of a guitar you probably picture a six stringed instrument that can be plucked or strummed. In this edition of New Sounds you’ll hear all kinds of guitars, from traditional European varieties to 18-stringed prepared guitars with all manner of attachments.
Listen to guitars of Europe, including Marta Pereira da Costa’s guitarra portuguesa. This instrument, traditionally played by men, is round bodied with twelve, double strung steel strings. You’ll hear Marta, the first professional female player of the guitarra portuguesa, on two songs from her self-titled album. Then, hear the prepared Sardinian guitar of Paolo Angeli. A prepared guitar has attachments affixed to the instrument to alter its timbre. In Angeli’s case, he has added two sets of strings, bringing the total to eighteen. Other attachments include a percussion element as well as hammers, like those you would find on a piano. You will hear this one-man ensemble in his piece "Andira."
The show also features two performances by Korean guitarist Jiji. Her piece "Moonou" combines the acoustic instrument with electronics, while "Harp of Nerves", composed by Hilary Purrington, explores the interplay between a plucked instrument and the resonance of a full orchestra. Dominic Frasca’s guitar also utilizes electronics. Each string on his ten-stringed guitar is individually routed through a computer so they sound like ten different instruments. You can hear this unique guitar in his performance of Fixations, from the New York Guitar Festival in 2004, as well as a song off of his album, Deviations. Plus listen to Shane Parish, guitarist, composer, and member of prog punk band Ahleuchatistas, experiment with timbre on his prepared guitar. - Laura Boyman
Program #4634, Unusual or Adapted Guitars (First Aired 6/15/22)
ARTIST: Paolo Angeli
WORK: Andira
RECORDING: 22.22 Free Radiohead
SOURCE: ReR Megacorp
INFO: angelimanucheproductions.bandcamp.com/track/andira
ARTIST: Marta Pereira da Costa
WORK: Ícaro (feat. Pedro Joia)
RECORDING: Marta Pereira da Costa
SOURCE: Warner Music Portugal
INFO: discogs.com/release/9131566-Marta-Pereira-Da-Costa-Marta-Pereira-Da-Costa
ARTIST: Marta Pereira da Costa
WORK: Encontro (feat. Richard Bona)
RECORDING: Marta Pereira da Costa
SOURCE: Warner Music Portugal
INFO: discogs.com/release/9131566-Marta-Pereira-Da-Costa-Marta-Pereira-Da-Costa
ARTIST: Jiji
WORK: Moonou
RECORDING: Recorded for New York Guitar Festival 2021
INFO: youtube.com/watch?v=kRt3itScPcs
ARTIST: JiJi, ASU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jeffery Meyer
WORK: Hilary Purrington: Harp of Nerves
RECORDING: Recorded live with the ASU Symphony Orchestra
SOURCE: youtube.com/watch?v=NeNIG4HS58Y
INFO: jijiguitar.com | hilarypurrington.com
ARTIST: Dominic Frasca
WORK: Fixations
RECORDING: Recorded live at New York Guitar Festival 2004
INFO: youtube.com/watch?v=qV4k4j-AYrs
ARTIST: Shane Parish
WORK: Coagulate
RECORDING: Disintegrated Satellites
SOURCE: Red Eft Records
INFO: shaneparish.bandcamp.com/album/disintegrated-satellites-ep
ARTIST: Dominic Frasca
WORK: Forced Entry
RECORDING: Deviations
SOURCE: Cantaloupe Music
INFO: discogs.com/release/3165148-Dominic-Frasca-Deviations
