Bach on Mandolin and Villa-Lobos Guitar Concerto on Fretworks

On the next Fretworks, we'll hear Bach played on the mandolin by Chris Thile, music from the first ever guitar concerto recording from the New York Philharmonic with Sharon Isbin, and music of the holidays from guitarists Giovanni De Chiaro and John Stover. Thile, a mandolin virtuoso, began playing in the band Nickel Creek when he was 8-years-old. In his early 20s, he’s pushed musical boundaries with Punch Brothers. Now he’s playing and recording music of Johann Sebastian Bach. His album "Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 1" features Violin Sonatas and Partitas of Johann Sebastian Bach arranged for mandolin. These are challenging works at the summit of the repertoire for any virtuoso violinist. We’ll hear Thile’s recording of the Sonata No. 1 in G minor. From Latin America, I'll have the Guitar Concerto of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. This piece was written for Andres Segovia, who gave the first performance of this popular work in 1956. Isbin will be featured in her 2004 Warner Classics CD that got great reviews for her performances with the New York Philharmonic, not only for the Villa-Lobos but also for the Rodrigo and Ponce concertos on the same recording. Speaking of Manuel Ponce, Christopher Parkening and David Branden will play Prelude in the Baroque Style for two guitars on their appropriately titled CD, "Virtuoso Duets." We'll hear from a Christmas album by American guitarist De Chiaro, who records for Centaur Records in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Stover will have selections from the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. Fretworks airs Saturday evening at 7pm and Wednesday evening at 7pm on Classical 101. http://youtu.be/wAUoI49Ndmk