MILOS ALBUM RAISES ‘BAR’

WIDELY acknowledged as the greatest classical guitarist of his generation, Miloš Karadaglic continues to push the classical guitar repertoire in exciting new directions with his latest album, Baroque.

While recent releases have seen him crossover into the Lennon and McCartney songbook and work with film composers such as Howard Shore, Baroque stays firmly within the ‘classical’ spectrum with a collection of meditative and virtuosic arrangements of pieces by 17th-18th century heavyweights Bach, Handel and Vivaldi, as well as the lesser known Scarlatti, Rameau and Boccherini.

It’s an inspiring return for the London-based musician that’s wowed critics. “Baroque is a treasure trove of the pieces that I have loved over the years: pieces that have been played by so many of my heroes and colleagues, and works that I have enjoyed as a listener,” says Miloš.

Naturally, nothing on the album was composed originally for guitar, posing challenges for the musician when it came to selecting and arranging pieces. “But the one thing that makes them all come together is the variety of styles and influences within a period which, in my opinion, is the greatest period of art in humanity,” he explains.

“Each piece on the album is a little bit like a Baroque pearl. Each one is slightly different and each one has its own beauty. And yet at the same time, all together as an album they make just one perfect whole.”

Discussing his favourite pieces on the album, Miloš says: “It was tremendous fun to play the Vivaldi concerto movements that were written for four solo violins, but also, all my life I’ve been drawn to pieces that are lyrical and that wake up your inner heart-string: pieces like the Rameau, Handel and Couperin.”

■ Miloš Karadaglic visits Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, on Saturday, March 9. See warwickartscentre.co.uk