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Raymond Burley

Raymond Burley

cover of Raymond Burley

released 1987   Lyric

Raymond Burley plays pieces by Corbetta, Biberian, Brouwer, Duarte and Pujol.

Review from Classical Guitar Magazine

A leap across the centuries from the Italian baroque to contemporary England isn't something that can normally be accomplished with ease but Raymond Burley does it so fluently on this agreeable recording that it seems the most natural thing in the world. Gilbert Biberian's six Preludes from book 1 would appear to be light years away from Francesco Corbetta's courtly sophistication, but when you look at his influences - set out in a brief note - you see that there are linking threads: the baroque and Commedia dell'arte in addition to Delius, turn of the century French music, and his native Turkey. The latter is most noticeable in the concluding 'Pierrot', where the composer's skill can even work up a little excitement by means of a pizzicato.

Brouwer's influences are the modern avart-garde, romanticism, and the folk music of South America, with his native Cuba paramount. 'Ojos Brujos' and 'Canción de Cuna', coming soon after 'Pierrot', show two further applications of pizzicato: in the first, a flourish, accelerando and crescendo ends a piece: and in the second a rhythmic and repetitive pizzicato fills in between the verses of what is obviously a song. The uses of pizzicato are musically far more than interesting than the uses of tremolo, yet it is the latter that seems to get all the attention.

All worthwhile music shows influences, of course, how could it be otherwise? The ear must have points of reference, and two of those in the music of John Duarte are jazz and English folk song. It is the second of these that one can recognise in 'Birds' - not the songs of the creature themselves, as the composer is quick to point out in his own notes, but in the general deployment of idiom. Raymond Burley captures this, as he manages everything else, in an undemonstrative but totally satisfactory assurance. You feel you are in safe hands, that he is never going to let you down by playing something out of period. I have a feeling that this kind of ability is underrated in our concert halls, but that only means that the average audience is under-educated, not that Mr Burley is deficient in any way. His is musicianship of a very high order, and it makes this recording a continual joy to listen to.

Colin Cooper (Classical Guitar)

This recording was released on cassette and is available to puchase direct from Raymond Burley.

'Ty Fynnon'
4 Yew Tree Mews,
Church Street
Ducklington,
Witney,
Oxfordshire
OX29 7UQ

Phone:  44(0) 1993 700332


updated: 15 years ago