CD Review: "Autumn Elegy" by Charles Mokotoff

[Perfecto De Castro]

“Autumn Elegy”
Artist: Charles Mokotoff
Year: 2008

Imagine a time when Classical Guitar was flourishing: Segovia was still touring and giving concerts, Classical Guitar stars like Michael Lorimer, Christopher Parkening and Leo Brouwer were hosting 2 week-long (sometimes longer) masterclasses, the up and coming players were pushing the boundaries of technique and repertoire launching from the foundation that Segovia built. Charles Mokotoff was right in the thick of all that activity and his CD, “Autumn Elegy”, is an aural photograph of a concertiste at the peak of his powers.

Charles Mokotoff studied guitar under Edward Flower in Ithaca, NY and Carlos Bonnell in London, with supplemental studies in early music on Lute with Paul O’Dette. He was also among the select few picked by Michael Lorimer to take part in a year long masterclass/career development retreat in North Carolina in 1980. During the Lorimer retreat, the students were thrust in real world performance situations, not only as students but as concert performers and teaching assistants as well.

The selections in CD were recorded in a church in Cambridge, MA back in 1986, in the midst of Charles’ preparation for a series of concert tours and his New York Debut at the Weill Hall of Carnegie Hall. The resulting masters were kept in storage and the release was delayed due to a hectic touring schedule and eventually an extended break from the guitar that lasted over 15 years!

“Autumn Elegy” is comprised of all modern works from composers Mario Castenuovo-Tedesco (Capriccio Diabolico), Joaquin Rodrigo (Elogio dela Guitarra, En los Trigales), Nikita Koshkin (Fall of Birds), Yuquijiro Yocoh (Sakura Variations) and William Coble, the composer of the CD’s title track.

As expected from a player immersed in such a prime era of Classical Guitar development, the playing is masterful. Each note is played with confidence and grace, each phrase shaped with purpose and elegance. Charles’ performance on this recording displays his command of modern guitar technique while paying homage to the Segovian tradition of tone.

Of special mention is William Coble’s “Autumn Elegy”, which is introduced to the Classical Guitar world by this premiere recording. `In this wonderful contemplative piece, Coble uses the guitar’s wide tonal palette in painting an abstract sonic picture of a change in seasons. It makes me want to find out if the Autumn-to-Winter transition in Boston is as dramatic, and beautiful, as this piece suggests.

The recorded sound is beautifully remastered from the original reel masters by Bernie Grundman Mastering. Having heard an mp3 version of “Capriccio Diabolico” from the untweaked reel master, I can say that the remastering process has brought this record up to the current standards of recorded audio quality.

This recording is a must-have for any serious fan of Classical Guitar, from the student looking for exceptional interpretational reference of the recorded works, to the avid listener who loves excellent guitar playing.

Find out more about Charles through his website http://www.charlesmokotoff.com