“This recording was meant a priori as a demonstration of what the Brahms Guitar could do in terms of repertory. It didn’t start out as a CD project, but ended up getting released. The recital includes music by the Renaissance lute composer Dowland, a Lute Suite by Bach, a work by Henze, 3 Tentos, originally for 6 string guitar, and an important work by Brahms, the Variations op 21a. The recordings were made the same year that I started playing the 8 string Brahms Guitar.
The producer/engineer John Taylor, who used to be a performing guitarist, succeeded in faithfully capturing the sound of my guitar. This is a recording that I still enjoy listening to once in a while. Despite my playing having changed quite a bit since then, I can still nevertheless recognise myself here. The way in which I approach this repertoire is somewhat different to what I’d tended to do previously. The feeling I get is that in many ways the 8 string set me free.”