476 226-9 dreams

Karin Schaupp

32

MAXIMO DIEGO PUJOL b.19571 Verde Alma (Innocent Soul) 3’13

AGUSTÍN BARRIOS MANGORÉ 1885-19442 Un sueño en la floresta 6’46

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH 1685-1750/CHARLES GOUNOD 1818-1893 (arr. Giac Giacomantonio)

3 Ave Maria 3’17with Brett Dean viola

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL 1685-1759 (arr. Jan-Olof Eriksson)4 Lascia ch’io pianga (O Let Me Weep) from Rinaldo 3’15

FRANCISCO TÁRREGA 1852-19095 Capricho Arabe (Arabian Caprice) 4’34

AGUSTÍN BARRIOS MANGORÉ6 Julia Florida 4’10

ROBERT SCHUMANN 1810-1856 (arr. Agustín Barrios Mangoré)7 Träumerei (Dreaming) from Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood),

Op. 15 No. 7 2’55

ISAAC ALBÉNIZ 1860-1909 (arr. Karin Schaupp)8 Tango from España, Op. 165 No. 2 3’01

with David Leisner guitar

dream

sKarin Schaupp

32

MAXIMO DIEGO PUJOL b.19571 Verde Alma (Innocent Soul) 3’13

AGUSTÍN BARRIOS MANGORÉ 1885-19442 Un sueño en la floresta 6’46

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH 1685-1750/CHARLES GOUNOD 1818-1893 (arr. Giac Giacomantonio)

3 Ave Maria 3’17with Brett Dean viola

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL 1685-1759 (arr. Jan-Olof Eriksson)4 Lascia ch’io pianga (O Let Me Weep) from Rinaldo 3’15

FRANCISCO TÁRREGA 1852-19095 Capricho Arabe (Arabian Caprice) 4’34

AGUSTÍN BARRIOS MANGORÉ6 Julia Florida 4’10

ROBERT SCHUMANN 1810-1856 (arr. Agustín Barrios Mangoré)7 Träumerei (Dreaming) from Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood),

Op. 15 No. 7 2’55

ISAAC ALBÉNIZ 1860-1909 (arr. Karin Schaupp)8 Tango from España, Op. 165 No. 2 3’01

with David Leisner guitar

dream

s

Karin Schaupp

4

ENRIQUE GRANADOS 1867-1916 (arr. Miguel Llobet)9 La Maja de Goya from Tonadillas en un estilo antiguo 4’44

ERIK SATIE 1866-1925 (arr. Carlos Barbosa-Lima)0 Gymnopédie No. 1 3’14

MARGUERITE MONNOT 1903-1961 (arr. Roland Dyens)! Hymne à l’amour (Hymn to Love) 2’53

HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS 1887-1959@ Study No. 8 3’29

PHILLIP HOUGHTON b.1954£ Faerie 1’58

JOHN DOWLAND 1563-1626 (arr. Karin Schaupp)$ Melancholy Galliard 3’36

DOMENICO SCARLATTI 1685-1757 (arr. Karin Schaupp)% Sonata K.208: Andante è cantabile 3’41

FERNANDO SOR 1778-1839^ Andante, Op. 43 No. 5 4’57

PIETRO MASCAGNI 1863-1945 (arr. Giac Giacomantonio)& Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana 2’56

Total Playing Time 63’22

5

With the increasing stress of modern life, musicwhich engages directly with human emotionshas become more necessary and popular thanever, and few instruments can capture thatlanguage of the heart like the guitar. ‘The guitarlends itself perfectly to lyrical, dream-like, butpassionate music,’ says Karin Schaupp as sheputs the finishing touches to Dreams, her fourthsolo album and her first for ABC Classics.

The German-born guitarist has been lookingforward to making Dreams for years. Even inamidst previous recording projects she’s beenassembling the repertoire, finding the pieceswhich she loves and which fit the slow, sensualmood and literally keeping them in her bottomdrawer. ‘When I went to make the recording, thehardest thing was choosing only one CD’sworth,’ she says. ‘If you think about the piecesmost commonly associated with the guitar – theslow movement of Rodrigo’s Concierto deAranjuez, for instance, or Tárrega’s Recuerdos dela Alhambra – they’re all slow. That’s a statementin itself.’

Slow-moving music Dreams may be, but asKarin says, ‘every piece has a story,’ and thetechnical challenge which each one presents toguitarists is formidable. ‘True legato is one of themost difficult things to achieve on the guitar,’ shesays. ‘The guitar has quite a “vocal” quality butif you break up the line by not having legato, theinstrument’s rather short sustain becomesparticularly exposed. That’s the biggest challenge

with this kind of repertoire – to make the guitarsing.’ Several pieces, indeed, emanate fromvocal music, but Karin’s technique is more thanup to the challenge. Ever since she took up theinstrument at the age of five, her mother Isolde– a well-known guitar teacher – has instilled inher the importance of sustaining the lyrical linein her playing. Evidently she learned the lessonwell, as critical praise for her legato has been aconsistent feature of her international career.

Yet with her previous recordings demonstratinga dazzling virtuosity, the more sensual,mesmerising repertoire captured on Dreamsmay come as a surprise to her legions ofadmirers. ‘Over the past few years I’ve foundmore depth and calmness in my performances,’she says. ‘It’s always been important to me tobe in the moment with my audience, rather thansimply pushing something out. I want to playfrom the heart and soul even when there’s noone else in the room. I get into that zone andjust allow it to happen.’

Getting into the zone is something KarinSchaupp also does when it comes to selectingrepertoire. Robert Schumann’s floating-on-airTräumerei (Dreaming), from Kinderzenen(Scenes from Childhood), in the arrangement bythe great Paraguayan guitarist/composer AgustínBarrios Mangoré (known simply as Barrios), forinstance, is a piece which few other guitaristsplay. Karin found it while flicking through theBarrios Anniversary Edition prepared by the

4

ENRIQUE GRANADOS 1867-1916 (arr. Miguel Llobet)9 La Maja de Goya from Tonadillas en un estilo antiguo 4’44

ERIK SATIE 1866-1925 (arr. Carlos Barbosa-Lima)0 Gymnopédie No. 1 3’14

MARGUERITE MONNOT 1903-1961 (arr. Roland Dyens)! Hymne à l’amour (Hymn to Love) 2’53

HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS 1887-1959@ Study No. 8 3’29

PHILLIP HOUGHTON b.1954£ Faerie 1’58

JOHN DOWLAND 1563-1626 (arr. Karin Schaupp)$ Melancholy Galliard 3’36

DOMENICO SCARLATTI 1685-1757 (arr. Karin Schaupp)% Sonata K.208: Andante è cantabile 3’41

FERNANDO SOR 1778-1839^ Andante, Op. 43 No. 5 4’57

PIETRO MASCAGNI 1863-1945 (arr. Giac Giacomantonio)& Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana 2’56

Total Playing Time 63’22

5

With the increasing stress of modern life, musicwhich engages directly with human emotionshas become more necessary and popular thanever, and few instruments can capture thatlanguage of the heart like the guitar. ‘The guitarlends itself perfectly to lyrical, dream-like, butpassionate music,’ says Karin Schaupp as sheputs the finishing touches to Dreams, her fourthsolo album and her first for ABC Classics.

The German-born guitarist has been lookingforward to making Dreams for years. Even inamidst previous recording projects she’s beenassembling the repertoire, finding the pieceswhich she loves and which fit the slow, sensualmood and literally keeping them in her bottomdrawer. ‘When I went to make the recording, thehardest thing was choosing only one CD’sworth,’ she says. ‘If you think about the piecesmost commonly associated with the guitar – theslow movement of Rodrigo’s Concierto deAranjuez, for instance, or Tárrega’s Recuerdos dela Alhambra – they’re all slow. That’s a statementin itself.’

Slow-moving music Dreams may be, but asKarin says, ‘every piece has a story,’ and thetechnical challenge which each one presents toguitarists is formidable. ‘True legato is one of themost difficult things to achieve on the guitar,’ shesays. ‘The guitar has quite a “vocal” quality butif you break up the line by not having legato, theinstrument’s rather short sustain becomesparticularly exposed. That’s the biggest challenge

with this kind of repertoire – to make the guitarsing.’ Several pieces, indeed, emanate fromvocal music, but Karin’s technique is more thanup to the challenge. Ever since she took up theinstrument at the age of five, her mother Isolde– a well-known guitar teacher – has instilled inher the importance of sustaining the lyrical linein her playing. Evidently she learned the lessonwell, as critical praise for her legato has been aconsistent feature of her international career.

Yet with her previous recordings demonstratinga dazzling virtuosity, the more sensual,mesmerising repertoire captured on Dreamsmay come as a surprise to her legions ofadmirers. ‘Over the past few years I’ve foundmore depth and calmness in my performances,’she says. ‘It’s always been important to me tobe in the moment with my audience, rather thansimply pushing something out. I want to playfrom the heart and soul even when there’s noone else in the room. I get into that zone andjust allow it to happen.’

Getting into the zone is something KarinSchaupp also does when it comes to selectingrepertoire. Robert Schumann’s floating-on-airTräumerei (Dreaming), from Kinderzenen(Scenes from Childhood), in the arrangement bythe great Paraguayan guitarist/composer AgustínBarrios Mangoré (known simply as Barrios), forinstance, is a piece which few other guitaristsplay. Karin found it while flicking through theBarrios Anniversary Edition prepared by the

6

English guitarist Chris Dumigan and transcribedfrom Barrios’ original recordings (because of hisbusy concert schedule and inspired method ofworking, Barrios never actually wrote downmany of his own compositions). ‘This Schumannarrangement was very difficult on first readingbut I thought it was amazing,’ says Karin of herinitial encounter with the transcription. ‘Initially Ididn’t learn to play the piece, but when I knew Iwas making this recording I thought it just hadto go on.’ In Barrios’ transcription, the bottomstring must be tuned down from E to C. As Karinsays, ‘It makes the string very loose, low-sounding and mellow.’

At the opposite end of the tuning scale isBarrios’ mighty Un sueño en la floresta, which,notoriously, requires a high C, and so a guitarwith 20 frets. While it is theoretically possible to‘cheat’ the high note on recordings madewithout a 20-fret instrument, Karin resisteddoing so and waited instead until she had hercurrent Simon Marty spruce-top instrument,custom-made in 2002 and including that crucialnote. ‘The 20th fret is a useful thing to haveanyway, but I specifically wanted to get it on thisguitar to learn this piece and play it,’ she says.Sueño as guitarists know it was composed in1918, two years after Barrios had moved toBrazil. ‘I’ve always loved this piece,’ Karin says.‘It touches your heart with its beauty and whenthis recording came up I just knew I had to learnit.’ For Karin, its special magic comes throughthe glorious use of tremolo. ‘Tremolo has always

been a specialty of mine,’ she says, ‘and this isprobably the best and most substantial tremolopiece in the guitar repertoire. It’s also far andaway the most difficult.’

Less difficult but by no means straightforward isthe Bach/Gounod Ave Maria, a work which isloved by audiences around the world – but noton guitar! ‘There is an arrangement of it for sologuitar by Francisco Tárrega,’ says Karin, ‘but asbeautiful as it sounds to guitarists, to anyoneelse it’s not really the sort of piece to playwithout a long sustain.’ Her friendship withformer Berlin Philharmonic violist Brett Deanprompted husband Giac to make thearrangement recorded here. ‘To me, viola andguitar is a stunning combination of colours,’ shesays. ‘It might seem unusual to have just onetrack on the album with viola on it, but musicallyit seemed the right thing to do.’ With both Brett and Karin ‘feeling’ the music in the sameway, it was recorded quickly in a moment ofmutual inspiration.

Over recent years, Karin has correspondedregularly with Swedish guitarist and arrangerJan-Olof Eriksson. One of the pieces which hesent her was Lascia ch’io pianga (O Let Me

Weep), the famous mezzo-soprano aria fromRinaldo, Handel’s first opera composedexpressly for the London stage. A favourite ofHandel himself (he’d already used the melodytwice before), the aria wasn’t the kind of musicthat Karin would ever have planned to perform

7

6

English guitarist Chris Dumigan and transcribedfrom Barrios’ original recordings (because of hisbusy concert schedule and inspired method ofworking, Barrios never actually wrote downmany of his own compositions). ‘This Schumannarrangement was very difficult on first readingbut I thought it was amazing,’ says Karin of herinitial encounter with the transcription. ‘Initially Ididn’t learn to play the piece, but when I knew Iwas making this recording I thought it just hadto go on.’ In Barrios’ transcription, the bottomstring must be tuned down from E to C. As Karinsays, ‘It makes the string very loose, low-sounding and mellow.’

At the opposite end of the tuning scale isBarrios’ mighty Un sueño en la floresta, which,notoriously, requires a high C, and so a guitarwith 20 frets. While it is theoretically possible to‘cheat’ the high note on recordings madewithout a 20-fret instrument, Karin resisteddoing so and waited instead until she had hercurrent Simon Marty spruce-top instrument,custom-made in 2002 and including that crucialnote. ‘The 20th fret is a useful thing to haveanyway, but I specifically wanted to get it on thisguitar to learn this piece and play it,’ she says.Sueño as guitarists know it was composed in1918, two years after Barrios had moved toBrazil. ‘I’ve always loved this piece,’ Karin says.‘It touches your heart with its beauty and whenthis recording came up I just knew I had to learnit.’ For Karin, its special magic comes throughthe glorious use of tremolo. ‘Tremolo has always

been a specialty of mine,’ she says, ‘and this isprobably the best and most substantial tremolopiece in the guitar repertoire. It’s also far andaway the most difficult.’

Less difficult but by no means straightforward isthe Bach/Gounod Ave Maria, a work which isloved by audiences around the world – but noton guitar! ‘There is an arrangement of it for sologuitar by Francisco Tárrega,’ says Karin, ‘but asbeautiful as it sounds to guitarists, to anyoneelse it’s not really the sort of piece to playwithout a long sustain.’ Her friendship withformer Berlin Philharmonic violist Brett Deanprompted husband Giac to make thearrangement recorded here. ‘To me, viola andguitar is a stunning combination of colours,’ shesays. ‘It might seem unusual to have just onetrack on the album with viola on it, but musicallyit seemed the right thing to do.’ With both Brett and Karin ‘feeling’ the music in the sameway, it was recorded quickly in a moment ofmutual inspiration.

Over recent years, Karin has correspondedregularly with Swedish guitarist and arrangerJan-Olof Eriksson. One of the pieces which hesent her was Lascia ch’io pianga (O Let Me

Weep), the famous mezzo-soprano aria fromRinaldo, Handel’s first opera composedexpressly for the London stage. A favourite ofHandel himself (he’d already used the melodytwice before), the aria wasn’t the kind of musicthat Karin would ever have planned to perform

7

9

on guitar, but somehow she found herself drawnto its obvious ‘vocal’ quality. ‘When I play,’ shesays, ‘I’m not aware of the guitar as a separateobject. It becomes almost a part of me.’ Havingplayed through Handel’s simple testament to thecruelty of fate, she added it to the list of piecesthat she knew just had to be on the recording.

While Handel’s music makes occasionalappearances in the guitar repertoire, DomenicoScarlatti’s keyboard sonatas are regularlyarranged for the instrument as many of them sitvery comfortably under the guitarist’s fingers.And none more so than the Sonata K.208 whichrequires only a few octave transpositions hereand there and no key change at all to be adaptedby Karin herself for the six-stringed instrument.‘I’ve performed several of Scarlatti’s sonatas –faster ones in particular – but not this one,’ Karin says. ‘It’s one I’ve always loved and it justseemed to belong on the album.’ Dating from1753, its gentle Andante è cantabile melody in A major is full of Spanish-sounding arabesques –the sort of Hispanic style that make his worksso suitable for guitar transcription.

When preparing the original repertoire list for thealbum, one of the first pieces Karin chose wasBarrios’ sensual Julia Florida. ‘It’s a piece I’veplayed since I was 14, and among guitarists it’s areal staple of the repertoire,’ she says.

Composed in December 1938, by which stageBarrios was Professor of Guitar at the NationalConservatory in San Salvador, it’s a barcarolle

dedicated to the niece of Francisco Salazar, oneof his friends and admirers. ‘Barrios did that sortof thing quite a lot,’ Karin says. ‘He enjoyedwriting pieces for friends and acquaintances.’

Another repertoire staple is Capricho Arabe byFrancisco Tárrega, the Spanish composer who inthe second half of the 19th century became the‘father’ of the modern guitar through introducingnew playing techniques and writing manyappealing works for the instrument. But whilethe Arabian Caprice is a predominantly lyricaland romantic work, its quicker tempo and‘Moorish’ harmonies make it somewhat atypicalof the other selections on the album. Karin saysshe included it to add contrast. Another workwhich she has played since her teens, it wascomposed by Tárrega in Seville following a visitto Algeria and an influential meeting with French composer and fellow ‘orientalist’ CamilleSaint-Saëns.

Karin has always enjoyed performing ensemblemusic and even though the Tango by IsaacAlbéniz (composed as part of his España suitefor solo piano) can be played solo, herpreference is to have two guitars – as sheregularly did when playing it from the age of 13with her mother’s students. Usually, two-guitararrangements of the piano solo favour just oneinstrument, with the second guitarist simplyfollowing the piano’s left-hand part. But in Karin’sown arrangement, the two guitarists are treated

8

as equals, with a genuine dialogue betweenparts. Her partner in this recording isdistinguished American guitarist David Leisner,whom she met when they both performed at aBritish festival in 2003. ‘I loved David’s playingand we got on extraordinarily well,’ she says. ‘Asit turned out, David was coming to Brisbane fora visit, so once I’d made the basic version, wethen spent a couple of days working together onthe arrangement of the piece. We are verydifferent players but we just seemed to “gel”.’

The sensuality of the tango is matched by La Maja de Goya, which composer EnriqueGranados based on a controversial diptych bythe Spanish artist (Granados’ collection of six‘Goyescas’ for solo piano brought himinternational fame on their publication in 1911).In one of Goya’s paintings, the woman reclineson a couch fully-clothed, while in a secondpainting she holds the identical pose but is stark naked. ‘The expression on her face isunderstated but very intense,’ Karin says. ‘I always imagine that the two sections ofGranados’ piece refer to the two paintings.’ An extensive work with a feverish intensity,she’s performed it often in concert but until nowhas ‘never found the place to put it on disc’. The transcription here is by the great Spanishguitar master Miguel Llobet, whose stellarperforming career in the early 20th century hasseen him sometimes regarded as thepathfinder for Andrés Segovia.

When it comes to dreamy, hypnotic piecesthough, nothing can match the vast popularity ofGymnopédie No.1 by Erik Satie, composed in1888 as an early contribution to Frenchimpression. In this guitar arrangement byBrazilian Carlos Barbosa-Lima, the E string istuned down to D and the A string to G, meaningthat not only is the work in its original piano key,but the two bass notes which form thebackbone of the work are both played on openstrings, for optimum resonance. ‘Carlos is one ofthe great guitarists of our time,’ says Karin, whoperforms with him regularly as a member of theWorld Guitar Trio. ‘His arrangements are alwaysquite inspired,’ as the distinctive use ofharmonics demonstrates here.

Another great contemporary guitarist/arranger isFrenchman Roland Dyens, whom Karin first metat a German festival in 1998. ‘Roland gave me abunch of his most recent arrangements,’ Karinsays of that first meeting, ‘including a volume ofFrench popular songs. I recorded two of themon my previous CD but this one, Hymne à

l’amour, is the more famous one. It reallymatches the mood of the CD. This piece reallymakes me think of my childhood. Somehow myparents must have played Edith Piaf recordingsat home because when I first saw the music, itseemed so familiar to me.’ To achieve theunusual tone-colour of the setting, the loweststring of the guitar is tuned down a semitone toE-flat and the piece as a whole is played in a flat

9

on guitar, but somehow she found herself drawnto its obvious ‘vocal’ quality. ‘When I play,’ shesays, ‘I’m not aware of the guitar as a separateobject. It becomes almost a part of me.’ Havingplayed through Handel’s simple testament to thecruelty of fate, she added it to the list of piecesthat she knew just had to be on the recording.

While Handel’s music makes occasionalappearances in the guitar repertoire, DomenicoScarlatti’s keyboard sonatas are regularlyarranged for the instrument as many of them sitvery comfortably under the guitarist’s fingers.And none more so than the Sonata K.208 whichrequires only a few octave transpositions hereand there and no key change at all to be adaptedby Karin herself for the six-stringed instrument.‘I’ve performed several of Scarlatti’s sonatas –faster ones in particular – but not this one,’ Karin says. ‘It’s one I’ve always loved and it justseemed to belong on the album.’ Dating from1753, its gentle Andante è cantabile melody in A major is full of Spanish-sounding arabesques –the sort of Hispanic style that make his worksso suitable for guitar transcription.

When preparing the original repertoire list for thealbum, one of the first pieces Karin chose wasBarrios’ sensual Julia Florida. ‘It’s a piece I’veplayed since I was 14, and among guitarists it’s areal staple of the repertoire,’ she says.

Composed in December 1938, by which stageBarrios was Professor of Guitar at the NationalConservatory in San Salvador, it’s a barcarolle

dedicated to the niece of Francisco Salazar, oneof his friends and admirers. ‘Barrios did that sortof thing quite a lot,’ Karin says. ‘He enjoyedwriting pieces for friends and acquaintances.’

Another repertoire staple is Capricho Arabe byFrancisco Tárrega, the Spanish composer who inthe second half of the 19th century became the‘father’ of the modern guitar through introducingnew playing techniques and writing manyappealing works for the instrument. But whilethe Arabian Caprice is a predominantly lyricaland romantic work, its quicker tempo and‘Moorish’ harmonies make it somewhat atypicalof the other selections on the album. Karin saysshe included it to add contrast. Another workwhich she has played since her teens, it wascomposed by Tárrega in Seville following a visitto Algeria and an influential meeting with French composer and fellow ‘orientalist’ CamilleSaint-Saëns.

Karin has always enjoyed performing ensemblemusic and even though the Tango by IsaacAlbéniz (composed as part of his España suitefor solo piano) can be played solo, herpreference is to have two guitars – as sheregularly did when playing it from the age of 13with her mother’s students. Usually, two-guitararrangements of the piano solo favour just oneinstrument, with the second guitarist simplyfollowing the piano’s left-hand part. But in Karin’sown arrangement, the two guitarists are treated

8

as equals, with a genuine dialogue betweenparts. Her partner in this recording isdistinguished American guitarist David Leisner,whom she met when they both performed at aBritish festival in 2003. ‘I loved David’s playingand we got on extraordinarily well,’ she says. ‘Asit turned out, David was coming to Brisbane fora visit, so once I’d made the basic version, wethen spent a couple of days working together onthe arrangement of the piece. We are verydifferent players but we just seemed to “gel”.’

The sensuality of the tango is matched by La Maja de Goya, which composer EnriqueGranados based on a controversial diptych bythe Spanish artist (Granados’ collection of six‘Goyescas’ for solo piano brought himinternational fame on their publication in 1911).In one of Goya’s paintings, the woman reclineson a couch fully-clothed, while in a secondpainting she holds the identical pose but is stark naked. ‘The expression on her face isunderstated but very intense,’ Karin says. ‘I always imagine that the two sections ofGranados’ piece refer to the two paintings.’ An extensive work with a feverish intensity,she’s performed it often in concert but until nowhas ‘never found the place to put it on disc’. The transcription here is by the great Spanishguitar master Miguel Llobet, whose stellarperforming career in the early 20th century hasseen him sometimes regarded as thepathfinder for Andrés Segovia.

When it comes to dreamy, hypnotic piecesthough, nothing can match the vast popularity ofGymnopédie No.1 by Erik Satie, composed in1888 as an early contribution to Frenchimpression. In this guitar arrangement byBrazilian Carlos Barbosa-Lima, the E string istuned down to D and the A string to G, meaningthat not only is the work in its original piano key,but the two bass notes which form thebackbone of the work are both played on openstrings, for optimum resonance. ‘Carlos is one ofthe great guitarists of our time,’ says Karin, whoperforms with him regularly as a member of theWorld Guitar Trio. ‘His arrangements are alwaysquite inspired,’ as the distinctive use ofharmonics demonstrates here.

Another great contemporary guitarist/arranger isFrenchman Roland Dyens, whom Karin first metat a German festival in 1998. ‘Roland gave me abunch of his most recent arrangements,’ Karinsays of that first meeting, ‘including a volume ofFrench popular songs. I recorded two of themon my previous CD but this one, Hymne à

l’amour, is the more famous one. It reallymatches the mood of the CD. This piece reallymakes me think of my childhood. Somehow myparents must have played Edith Piaf recordingsat home because when I first saw the music, itseemed so familiar to me.’ To achieve theunusual tone-colour of the setting, the loweststring of the guitar is tuned down a semitone toE-flat and the piece as a whole is played in a flat

1110

key. According to Karin, the sound ‘has a mellowquality’ and shows off the guitar’s ability toaccompany itself while conveying the poignantmelody so typical of the legendary Piaf’sperformance style.

While Study No. 8 by Brazilian Heitor Villa-Loboswas conceived (unlike Gymnopédie and Hymneà l’amour) as an authentic guitar piece, Karindescribes it as being ‘a bit left of centre’ interms of the other repertoire on the album. ‘Ithas a certain darkness and depth,’ she says ofthe work composed for Segovia in the late1920s as part of a set of twelve such pieces.Although she’s been playing it since the age of14, her interpretation has changed considerably,especially over recent years after having playedmuch Brazilian music with Carlos Barbosa-Lima.‘There’s a “European” way of playing Brazilianmusic and a “Brazilian” way,’ she laughs.‘There’s a certain melancholy in the rubato whichmakes the difference.’

Throughout her international career, Karin hasshowcased the music of Australian composers,including that of her good friend PhillipHoughton. ‘Faerie is from a set of ten pieceswhich Phil wrote in 2002 just after his new babyson Ethan was born,’ she says. ‘The piece isreally simple and beautiful, and its harmony anduse of the capo on the third fret gives it such alovely colour.’ Prefaced by a quote from 17th-century French philosopher Blaise Pascal – ‘Theheart has its reasons, which reason cannot

know’ – the work is the concluding piece ofGothica: Book of Spooks and Spectres. With hisinterest in the supernatural (‘a world we cannotseem to get our minds around’), the composersays that the challenge of the work lies in theperformer creating the ‘atmosphere’ and ‘feel’ ofthe ‘fantastical’ subject matter. Aside from thework’s inherent beauty, Karin also had anotherreason for including it here. ‘This is Phil’s 50thbirthday year, so I especially wanted to have apiece of his on the album!’

Whereas Houghton dedicated Faerie to his son,Andante by Fernando Sor reminds Karin of hermother. ‘I remember my mother playing thispiece,’ she says, ‘and that triplet melody in themiddle, in particular, made me want to play theguitar myself. I must have heard it at animportant stage.’ A prolific composer for guitar,Sor’s engaging music offers riches to bothbeginners and professional players alike. ThisAndante was one of about 85 guitar ‘miniatures’which the Spanish master composed in the earlypart of the 19th century. Noble, stylish, and well-known to guitarists, strangely enough, however,Karin has only just taken it into her repertoire. ‘Itjust seemed to work in the context of the albumand like all the pieces I’ve recorded here, it’sparticularly meaningful to me. It really remindsme of when I started to play the guitar.’

The Melancholy Galliard by John Dowland isone of those works which everybody knowswhen they hear it, but whose title in isolation

1110

key. According to Karin, the sound ‘has a mellowquality’ and shows off the guitar’s ability toaccompany itself while conveying the poignantmelody so typical of the legendary Piaf’sperformance style.

While Study No. 8 by Brazilian Heitor Villa-Loboswas conceived (unlike Gymnopédie and Hymneà l’amour) as an authentic guitar piece, Karindescribes it as being ‘a bit left of centre’ interms of the other repertoire on the album. ‘Ithas a certain darkness and depth,’ she says ofthe work composed for Segovia in the late1920s as part of a set of twelve such pieces.Although she’s been playing it since the age of14, her interpretation has changed considerably,especially over recent years after having playedmuch Brazilian music with Carlos Barbosa-Lima.‘There’s a “European” way of playing Brazilianmusic and a “Brazilian” way,’ she laughs.‘There’s a certain melancholy in the rubato whichmakes the difference.’

Throughout her international career, Karin hasshowcased the music of Australian composers,including that of her good friend PhillipHoughton. ‘Faerie is from a set of ten pieceswhich Phil wrote in 2002 just after his new babyson Ethan was born,’ she says. ‘The piece isreally simple and beautiful, and its harmony anduse of the capo on the third fret gives it such alovely colour.’ Prefaced by a quote from 17th-century French philosopher Blaise Pascal – ‘Theheart has its reasons, which reason cannot

know’ – the work is the concluding piece ofGothica: Book of Spooks and Spectres. With hisinterest in the supernatural (‘a world we cannotseem to get our minds around’), the composersays that the challenge of the work lies in theperformer creating the ‘atmosphere’ and ‘feel’ ofthe ‘fantastical’ subject matter. Aside from thework’s inherent beauty, Karin also had anotherreason for including it here. ‘This is Phil’s 50thbirthday year, so I especially wanted to have apiece of his on the album!’

Whereas Houghton dedicated Faerie to his son,Andante by Fernando Sor reminds Karin of hermother. ‘I remember my mother playing thispiece,’ she says, ‘and that triplet melody in themiddle, in particular, made me want to play theguitar myself. I must have heard it at animportant stage.’ A prolific composer for guitar,Sor’s engaging music offers riches to bothbeginners and professional players alike. ThisAndante was one of about 85 guitar ‘miniatures’which the Spanish master composed in the earlypart of the 19th century. Noble, stylish, and well-known to guitarists, strangely enough, however,Karin has only just taken it into her repertoire. ‘Itjust seemed to work in the context of the albumand like all the pieces I’ve recorded here, it’sparticularly meaningful to me. It really remindsme of when I started to play the guitar.’

The Melancholy Galliard by John Dowland isone of those works which everybody knowswhen they hear it, but whose title in isolation

12

might not ring a bell. A galliard is a Renaissancedance often paired with the pavane, and thisparticular work’s stately progress has made itpopular in advertising and television soundtracks.Although it was originally composed for luteback in the time of Shakespeare, it sitscomfortably in arrangements for the modernguitar. Karin often plays it as a concert opener,with the capo placed on the third fret giving itthe key signature, bright sound, and intriguingtone-colour more in keeping with the ancientinstrument for which it was written.

For Karin, the most unexpected piece on thealbum is also the most ‘special’. The famousorchestral Intermezzo from the one-act operaCavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni may notinitially seem like a work whose lush orchestralsonorities could be adapted for guitar. But it wasthe piece to which Karin walked down the aislewhen she and Giac married in 2000. ‘It’sobviously very meaningful to us, and since thattime Giac’s been saying it would work as aguitar piece, especially the second section intremolo,’ she says. Soon after their wedding,Giac wrote out the transcription for his newwife. Not that the reduction of the much-lovedinterlude, which acts as the calm before thestorm in the opera (it precedes a duel) wasentirely inappropriate. There is in fact an originalpiano score of the piece, written in Mascagni’sown hand. ‘I’m not usually a big fan of doingorchestral works on solo guitar,’ Karin says, ‘but

somehow this really works. Now I’m reallyenamoured of it.’

It’s appropriate that one of the biggest crowd-pleasers on the album (and the opening track)should be from a composer who has in factstayed with the Schaupp family. Argentinianguitarist/composer Maximo Diego Pujol hasvisited Australia several times, and while at theSchaupp residence he and Karin performedtogether and became friends. ‘He had justwritten this piece and I really loved it,’ says Karin,who learned the piece immediately, while Pujolwas still staying with her family. Literallytranslated, Verde Alma means ‘green soul’ but Karin prefers the looser translation of‘innocent soul’. Written for the composer’s wifeCecilia, it has the character of a popular song,and like everything else on this dream of analbum, it inspires the imagination while soothingthe senses.

Martin Buzacott

13

12

might not ring a bell. A galliard is a Renaissancedance often paired with the pavane, and thisparticular work’s stately progress has made itpopular in advertising and television soundtracks.Although it was originally composed for luteback in the time of Shakespeare, it sitscomfortably in arrangements for the modernguitar. Karin often plays it as a concert opener,with the capo placed on the third fret giving itthe key signature, bright sound, and intriguingtone-colour more in keeping with the ancientinstrument for which it was written.

For Karin, the most unexpected piece on thealbum is also the most ‘special’. The famousorchestral Intermezzo from the one-act operaCavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni may notinitially seem like a work whose lush orchestralsonorities could be adapted for guitar. But it wasthe piece to which Karin walked down the aislewhen she and Giac married in 2000. ‘It’sobviously very meaningful to us, and since thattime Giac’s been saying it would work as aguitar piece, especially the second section intremolo,’ she says. Soon after their wedding,Giac wrote out the transcription for his newwife. Not that the reduction of the much-lovedinterlude, which acts as the calm before thestorm in the opera (it precedes a duel) wasentirely inappropriate. There is in fact an originalpiano score of the piece, written in Mascagni’sown hand. ‘I’m not usually a big fan of doingorchestral works on solo guitar,’ Karin says, ‘but

somehow this really works. Now I’m reallyenamoured of it.’

It’s appropriate that one of the biggest crowd-pleasers on the album (and the opening track)should be from a composer who has in factstayed with the Schaupp family. Argentinianguitarist/composer Maximo Diego Pujol hasvisited Australia several times, and while at theSchaupp residence he and Karin performedtogether and became friends. ‘He had justwritten this piece and I really loved it,’ says Karin,who learned the piece immediately, while Pujolwas still staying with her family. Literallytranslated, Verde Alma means ‘green soul’ but Karin prefers the looser translation of‘innocent soul’. Written for the composer’s wifeCecilia, it has the character of a popular song,and like everything else on this dream of analbum, it inspires the imagination while soothingthe senses.

Martin Buzacott

13

Karin Schaupp

Karin Schaupp is one of the most outstandingyoung guitarists on the international scene. Sheperforms widely on the international stage, as arecitalist, concerto soloist and festival guest. Herplaying receives the highest acclaim from criticsand audiences alike and she is held in greatesteem by her peers worldwide. She has givencountless recitals in Australia, Europe, Asia, theUS, Mexico and Canada. Karin Schaupp’s uniquestage presence and magical, passionate playinghave inspired several composers to write worksespecially for her.

Karin Schaupp has appeared on live television inmany parts of the world. In 1997 she performedlive as a Special Guest Artist to 20 millionviewers and listeners in China, on the occasionof China Radio International’s 50th Anniversarycelebrations. More recently, Karin Schaupp wasinvited to join a prestigious line-up ofinternational artists in the opening Gala of theGoodwill Games, which was broadcast on liveinternational television. She has also appearedon German, American and Canadian televisionand some of her Australian TV appearances haveresulted in an overwhelming response fromviewers, with record numbers of viewers calling in. Karin Schaupp also plays regularly on radio, including numerous broadcasts of live recitals, as well as many interviews andguest appearances.

Karin Schaupp’s guitar training began at the ageof five and she first performed in public thefollowing year. While still in her teens she wonprizes at international competitions in Lagonegro(Italy) and Madrid, where she was also awardedthe special competition prize for the BestInterpretation of Spanish Music.

Taught almost exclusively by her guitarist motherIsolde Schaupp, Karin Schaupp completed hertertiary music studies at the University ofQueensland with First Class Honours, aMaster’s degree and a University Gold Medal.Most recently she was awarded the prestigiousMusic Council of Australia Freedman Fellowshipin recognition of her achievements.

Karin Schaupp has previously released threehighly acclaimed solo CDs: Soliloquy (1997),Leyenda (1998) and Evocation (2000). Recently,she has extended her performing activities tobecome a founding member of two new guitarensembles, The World Guitar Trio based in theUSA (with Chris McGuire and Carlos Barbosa-Lima) and Saffire: The Australian Guitar Quartet(with Slava Grigoryan, Gareth Koch and AntonyField). Saffire’s recent debut CD for ABC Classicsreached No. 1 on the classical charts and wonthe 2003 ARIA award for Best Classical Album.

Karin Schaupp has also been involved in anumber of other collaborative CD projectsincluding concertos by Philip Bracanin, RossEdwards and Peter Sculthorpe for ABC Classics.

14

Executive Producers Robert Patterson, Lyle ChanRecording Producers Isolde Schaupp, Karin SchauppMastering Dave Neil/Jumpstart Productions,Brisbane, AustraliaEditorial and Production Manager Hilary ShrubbCover and Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty LtdPhotography Monty Coles

Karin Schaupp plays a 2002 spruce top guitar bySimon Marty.

Recorded February and April 2004, Brisbane, Australia.

Karin Schaupp thanks Brett Dean and David Leisner.Thank you both for your wonderful playing. It was apleasure and a privilege to make music with you. Ahuge personal thanks to: Heinz and Isolde Schaupp,Giac, Oma Lotte; Dave Neil and Oliver Friedrich atJumpstart; Dave Vine at Musiclab, the University of Queensland School of Music; Vince Ciccarello andCatherine Hocking at Fanfare; and Owen Orford at TPA.

DedicationsTrack 1 – for Shannon and JohnTrack 2 – for my parentsTrack 4 – for Oma LotteTrack 10 – for GiselleTrack 17 – for my husband

www.karinschaupp.com

� 2004 Karin Schaupp.© 2004 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Distributed in Australasia by Universal Classics & Jazz, adivision of Universal Music Group, under exclusive licence.Made in Australia. All rights of the owner of copyrightreserved. Any copying, renting, lending, diffusion, publicperformance or broadcast of this record without the authorityof the copyright owner is prohibited.

15

Karin Schaupp

Karin Schaupp is one of the most outstandingyoung guitarists on the international scene. Sheperforms widely on the international stage, as arecitalist, concerto soloist and festival guest. Herplaying receives the highest acclaim from criticsand audiences alike and she is held in greatesteem by her peers worldwide. She has givencountless recitals in Australia, Europe, Asia, theUS, Mexico and Canada. Karin Schaupp’s uniquestage presence and magical, passionate playinghave inspired several composers to write worksespecially for her.

Karin Schaupp has appeared on live television inmany parts of the world. In 1997 she performedlive as a Special Guest Artist to 20 millionviewers and listeners in China, on the occasionof China Radio International’s 50th Anniversarycelebrations. More recently, Karin Schaupp wasinvited to join a prestigious line-up ofinternational artists in the opening Gala of theGoodwill Games, which was broadcast on liveinternational television. She has also appearedon German, American and Canadian televisionand some of her Australian TV appearances haveresulted in an overwhelming response fromviewers, with record numbers of viewers calling in. Karin Schaupp also plays regularly on radio, including numerous broadcasts of live recitals, as well as many interviews andguest appearances.

Karin Schaupp’s guitar training began at the ageof five and she first performed in public thefollowing year. While still in her teens she wonprizes at international competitions in Lagonegro(Italy) and Madrid, where she was also awardedthe special competition prize for the BestInterpretation of Spanish Music.

Taught almost exclusively by her guitarist motherIsolde Schaupp, Karin Schaupp completed hertertiary music studies at the University ofQueensland with First Class Honours, aMaster’s degree and a University Gold Medal.Most recently she was awarded the prestigiousMusic Council of Australia Freedman Fellowshipin recognition of her achievements.

Karin Schaupp has previously released threehighly acclaimed solo CDs: Soliloquy (1997),Leyenda (1998) and Evocation (2000). Recently,she has extended her performing activities tobecome a founding member of two new guitarensembles, The World Guitar Trio based in theUSA (with Chris McGuire and Carlos Barbosa-Lima) and Saffire: The Australian Guitar Quartet(with Slava Grigoryan, Gareth Koch and AntonyField). Saffire’s recent debut CD for ABC Classicsreached No. 1 on the classical charts and wonthe 2003 ARIA award for Best Classical Album.

Karin Schaupp has also been involved in anumber of other collaborative CD projectsincluding concertos by Philip Bracanin, RossEdwards and Peter Sculthorpe for ABC Classics.

14

Executive Producers Robert Patterson, Lyle ChanRecording Producers Isolde Schaupp, Karin SchauppMastering Dave Neil/Jumpstart Productions,Brisbane, AustraliaEditorial and Production Manager Hilary ShrubbCover and Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty LtdPhotography Monty Coles

Karin Schaupp plays a 2002 spruce top guitar bySimon Marty.

Recorded February and April 2004, Brisbane, Australia.

Karin Schaupp thanks Brett Dean and David Leisner.Thank you both for your wonderful playing. It was apleasure and a privilege to make music with you. Ahuge personal thanks to: Heinz and Isolde Schaupp,Giac, Oma Lotte; Dave Neil and Oliver Friedrich atJumpstart; Dave Vine at Musiclab, the University of Queensland School of Music; Vince Ciccarello andCatherine Hocking at Fanfare; and Owen Orford at TPA.

DedicationsTrack 1 – for Shannon and JohnTrack 2 – for my parentsTrack 4 – for Oma LotteTrack 10 – for GiselleTrack 17 – for my husband

www.karinschaupp.com

� 2004 Karin Schaupp.© 2004 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Distributed in Australasia by Universal Classics & Jazz, adivision of Universal Music Group, under exclusive licence.Made in Australia. All rights of the owner of copyrightreserved. Any copying, renting, lending, diffusion, publicperformance or broadcast of this record without the authorityof the copyright owner is prohibited.

15

476 226-9 dreams

Karin Schaupp