John Williams - Classical Guitar Virtuoso: Early Years 1958-61 (2022)

John Williams is one of the greatest classical guitarists of the modern era, introducing a previously highly specialist area of repertoire to a wider audience through his virtuoso expertise on the Spanish guitar. Guitar historian Graham Wade has stated that “John is the most technically accomplished guitarist the world has seen.” Born in Australia in 1941, his family moved to the UK when he was 11, and having been taught by his guitarist father, he studied with Andres Segovia in Italy, before attending the Royal College of Music from 1956-59, and making his first performance at the Wigmore Hall in 1958. The first of these recordings was made very soon after that. This excellent value 2-CD collection comprises the complete contents of his first three solo LP releases, which were “Guitar Recital Vol. 1” and “Guitar Recital Vol. 2” for the Delyse label in 1958 and 1959, followed a couple of years later by “A Spanish Guitar” for the Westminster label. The selections performed feature two Bach Cello Suites transcribed by John Duarte, Twelve Preludes composed by Manuel Maria Ponce, a Sonatina by Federico Torroba, and a number of other individual pieces by those and other Spanish and Italian composers, including Domenico Scarlatti, Paquita Madriguera, Alexandre Tansman, Enrique Granados, Antonio Lauro and Andres Segovia himself. It is an absorbing and fascinating scene-setter for his illustrious career, showcasing his prodigious talent and mastery of his instrument even at this early stage.