"Whilst both players are highly capable soloists in their own right, when together they make a most impressive duo; their phrasing, tight ensemble and first-rate musicianship shines through the whole of this recording making for a most pleasurable hour's listening."
Classical Guitar Magazine
Two women, two guitars too superb not to love
By Punch Shaw
Special to the Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH - Think of it as music for guitar four hands.
Two rising young classical guitarists, Duo Erato, brought their tag-team act to the PepsiCo Recital Hall on Thursday in an evening of plucking and strumming that was so tightly coordinated that it often seemed that the two women were playing a single instrument.
Expectations were high for this performance, given the credentials these two players -- Risa Carlson and Martha Masters -- bring to the stage. They finished first and third in the 2000 Guitar Foundation of America competition, a sort of Cliburn for the guitar (and I challenge anyone who was there to guess the winner). They both studied with one of the most respected of all guitar masters, Manuel Barrueco. And each has enjoyed success on her own.
Consider those high expectations met. The duo glided through a program that included works by Pasquini, Sor, Brahms, Piazolla, Albeniz and Rodrigo.
That reads like the usual suspects except for the Brahms -- a transcription of a movement from his String Sextet in B flat. Guitar recitals are usually rich in transcriptions from a variety of composers, but they rarely come from the Romantic era. While the piece did make the German composer speak with a vaguely Spanish accent in places, it was quite satisfying and true to its source overall.
When they played together, their contrasting styles complemented each other nicely. Carlson offers a sharp, ringing attack, Masters a softer, more blended tone.
Their duets were broken up by brief solo sets from each artist. Masters' choice was three tunes by Paraguayan composer Agustin Barrios Mangore. Her soft, richly nuanced reading of Julia Florida so thoroughly seduced the larger-than-usual audience of about 200 that they seemed to be holding their collective breath as she played.
Carlson's solo set was three works by Argentine tango great Astor Piazolla that were dispatched with appropriate sass and verve.
Finally, I suppose it is necessary to express a view as to which of these virtuosos was better. All right. The pretty one was better. And, again, I challenge anyone who was there to take a guess on that one.