Niklas Johansen: Platero y Yo – An Andalusian Elegy
The Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968) was one of Europe’s greatest guitar composers of the twentieth century. Castelnuovo-Tedesco wrote many works for the instrument—many of which were brought to life by the legendary and contemporary Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia (1893–1987).

Now, however, the Danish label *Our Recordings* is releasing Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s *Andalusian Elegy*, performed by the outstanding Danish guitarist Niklas Johansen. With the permission of King Frederik, the elegy was recorded in Fredensborg Palace Chapel, and the result—the double album *Platero y Yo*—is truly worth discovering.

Not only because Johansen plays with such mastery, and the superb recordings allow the listener to experience the music’s sensuous details, but also because the material itself—originally written as accompaniment to a recitation of the Nobel Prize-winning Catalan poet Juan Ramón Jiménez’s collection of the same name—is so rigorously composed. Johansen, I think, succeeds in bringing to life the temperament, tone, and warmth that define Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s vision and Jiménez’s poetry.

Original Danish Text:
Italienske Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968), var en af Europas største guitarkomponister i det tyvende århundrede. Castelnuovo-Tedesco skrev mange kompositioner til instrumentet – og mange blev forløst af den legendariske og helt samtidige, spanske guitarist, Andrés Segovia (1893-1987). Nu udsender danske Our Recordings imidlertid Castelnuovo-Tedescos andalusisk elegi indspillet af den eminente, danske guitarist, Niklas Johansen. Elegien er med Kong Frederiks tilladelse blevet indspillet i Fredensborg Slotskirke, og resultatet – dobbeltalbummet, Platero y Yo – er vitterligt et bekendtskab værd. Både fordi Johansen spiller så godt som han gør, og fordi de lige så gode optagelser giver lytteren adgang til sanselige detaljer. Men også fordi materialet, der oprindeligt var skrevet som akkompagnement til en recitation af den Nobelprisvindende, catalanske digter Juan Ramon Jiménez’s samling af samme navn, er så stringent komponeret. Johansen formår, synes jeg, at levendegøre det temperament, den tone og den varme, som kendetegner Castelnuovo-Tedescos vision og Jiménez’s digte.

***** / Our Recordings / 109 min.