Dyens: Guitar Music

Featuring

Elena Papandreou
Roland Dyens

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Performer Biography

Elena Papandreou, the guitarist on this recording, was honored by the Academy of Athens with the prestigious Spyros Motsenigos Prize in 1992, awarded to an outstanding performer every two years.

Composer Biography

Roland Dyens, the French musician born in Tunisia in 1955, is considered one of the 'best' guitarists alive today, according to Guitarist magazine.

Critical Reception

Elena Papandreou has received enthusiastic reviews, with Leo Brouwer stating that 'If you want to hear music of the highest level of interpretation with poetical perfection, you must hear Elena Papandreou'.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Roland Dyens believes that the notation of cadenzas in concertos around the mid-19th century was a 'crime' that removed the creative opportunity for improvisation from musicians.

Composer Biography

Roland Dyens studied guitar with Alberto Ponce at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris and also studied conducting and composition with Désiré Dondeyne, winning first prizes in both.

Compositional Technique

Roland Dyens' scores are very precise, leaving no doubt as to how the music should be played, and often include new and individual symbols to guide the interpreter.

Composer's Artistic Vision

For Roland Dyens, improvisation is 'living, breathing composition' and a key part of his musical approach, unleashing a wide array of harmonic, melodic, and technical possibilities.