By: Brad Conroy
Fantasia Mexicana, the latest release by Guitarist Rodolfo Perez Berrelleza, is an historical journey through the music of Mexico and the guitar.
Berrelleza is an expressive performer who possesses a warm yet delicate sound.
He captures the nuances of this music with his technical mastery, and what is no doubt a deep love for the repertoire.
Fantasia Mexicana opens with the ‘Sonata Mexicana’ by Manuel Ponce (1882-1948), which serves as a great starting point for this musical journey.
Ponce’s sonata is perhaps the first four-movement work for the guitar, and was written for Andres Segovia who championed Ponce’s music through out his career.
The opening movement ‘Allegro moderato’ is upbeat, rhythmic, and Berrelleza delivers this complex piece with warmth and precision.
Movement II ‘Andantino Affetuso’ has an impressionistic quality very reminiscent of Claude Debussy, and Berrelleza’s delicate touch perfectly captures the reflective mood.
As the piece develops into a more programmatic style Berrelleza never seems to rush, and he maintains a level of control over what are no doubt some very difficult chromatic and dissonant passages.
Movement III ‘Allegretto in Tempo di Serenata’ is a standout movement, as Ponce composed a colorful and special piece here.
The melody and the rhythm to this serenade are unforgettable, and Berrelleza’s expressive and articulate performance help to make this a standout track on the CD.
The ‘Tres Instances de Extasis’ by Julio Cesar Olivia (b. 1947) is a three-movement work that brings a more modern sound to Fantasia Mexicana.
The slight dissonances mingled within arpeggios, and the use of the guitar’s different timbres, creates an evocative soundscape.
There are interesting harmonies in Olivia’s music, and Berrelleza is creative with his use of color and expression, bringing out the dream like nature of this music.
The ‘Fantasia Sinaloense’ by Jose Angel Ramirez (b.1969) is a piece for guitar and orchestra that was premiered with the Sinaloa Symphony, and written directly for Berrelleza.
Within this ten-minute work, popular melodies from Mexican culture can be heard in the interplay between the soloist and orchestra, and there are moments of reflection, fanfare, delight, and a cadenza of fast scale passages, which will excite listeners.
Fantasia Mexicana is an artistic and important recording by the Culiacan Guitarist Rodolfo Perez Berrelleza.
There are familiar works from the Segovia repertoire like the ‘Sonata Mexicana’, and ‘Tres Canciones’ by Manuel Ponce, but also lesser known repertoire by Julio Cesar Olvia, and Jose Angel Ramirez.
Fantasia Mexicana takes the listener on a musical journey through Mexico, and Rodolfo Perez Berrelleza delivers a worthy performance with his mature tone, delicate expression, and a deep love for the repertoire.
