A special night with the Shelter Island Friends of Music

A standing-room-only crowd filled the Presbyterian Church on Saturday evening to listen to the two astonishing musicians who, together, form the Brasil Guitar Duo. These two young men, still in their early 30s, played a program of original guitar pieces, along with works that have been transcribed from other instruments.

A major work of Rameau, the Gavotte and Variation, written originally for the harpsichord, immediately established the Duo as youthful masters of their instrument. The uncanny synchronization of their playing took one’s breath away. And their deep understanding of the 18th century French musical style almost persuaded us that Rameau wrote this work directly for the guitar and not for the harpsichord.

Brief pieces from the Children’s Corner Suite showed both the ephemeral and the sensual side of Debussy’s musical personality.

Each of the guitarists was represented by one of his own compositions and both were highlights of the event. Joao Luiz has written a remarkable work called Zanzibar, which sounds both complex and improvisational at the same time. A long piece by Jacobo do Bandolim was both sensual and heartbreaking.

The concert moved  from strength to strength and the audience grew more excited as the event progressed. Many were surprised that an entire evening devoted to the guitar could provide such an exhilarating range of musical styles.

But the astonishing playing of these two musicians was the key to creating the audience’s response. At one point they created sounds and aural images from their instruments that none of us had ever heard before. From near silence to explosive string sounds they were in powerful and total synch.

It is clear that these two young men have a brilliant future. And it is also clear that somewhere in their 15-year collaboration, they have begun to breathe the same musical and rhythmic atmosphere.

Altogther, a great night of music in our town.