Review: Miloš Karadagli at the concert hall

To the immense delight of a full Perth Concert Hall, renowned guitarist Miloš Karadagli returned to Perth for a solo recital on Thursday, January 23.

Entitled ‘From Bach to the Beatles’, it did, indeed, cover this huge range.

In the Bach Lute Suite in C minor BWV997 in four movements he was concerned to put over the melodies in long inviting sounds. Astounding were the final Gigue and especially its Double, or Variation, played with lighthearted enjoyment.

Next came classics of the Spanish guitar school: starting with an extra item - Tárrega’s ‘Lágrima’, or

Teardrop, as he explained in his likeable way to the audience.

Then the well-known Granados: Andaluza, masterfully played, with especial feeling for the central section and intriguing harmonics. Granados’ ‘Oriental’ was powerfully atmospheric, the tune so seductive.

Miloš’ playing was ultra fine. Using minimal amplification, he totally avoided finger noise, either in stopping notes or sliding between them. What you heard was the music.

Cleverly describing it as ‘an orchestra in a box’ the final piece in this group was the flamenco-inspired ‘Miller’s Dance’ from Manuel de Falla’s Ballet ‘The Three-cornered Hat’: full of haughty Spanish pride and fiery rasgueado.

Villa-Lobos’ ‘Five Preludes’ moved from the resonantly dramatic, through the animatedly humorous to the wide-rangingly lyrical and sadly soulful to the more extended number five.

Then it was on to the Beatles with an upbeat ‘Blackbird’ and a reflective ‘Yesterday,’ then a virtuoso ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’.

Miloš added another Tarrega piece ‘Endecha ‘(Sad Song or Lament), before contemporary Mathias Duplessy’s ‘Cavalcade’, the exciting procession first approaching, then after an introspective section dashing headlong to its close.

Rapturous applause, whistles and calls of “bravo” led to a calming-down encore - ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’.