WITH CRAIG OGDEN - GUITAR

“First and foremost, Craig Ogden and Alison Stephens are supreme soloists in their own right, combining flawless technique with the utmost musicality..... In combination the ensemble was breathtaking, with an almost unbelievable range of dynamics.....Here then, were two matchless, yet truly unassuming, artists having a real ball, and it was the fact that everyone in the packed audience was privileged to be part of this, which finally made this such an enjoyable, and indeed perfect experience.”
Philip R Buttall, The Plymouth Evening Herald

“the refined tone of guitar and mandolin rippling with suppressed passion, dancing a polka or gently evoking sorrow under the virtuoso hands of the players” Patricia Kelly, Brisbane Courier

“More years ago than I care to remember I saw Segovia at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. I confess to recalling little about the concert except that how impressed I was at one person and one instrument holding the stage and the audience enraptured. After a gap measured in decades I have re-visited and revised the experience with Craig Ogden (guitar) and Alison Stephens (mandolin) at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building last Friday” Richard Hollingum, Oxford Times

Craig Ogden is one of the leading guitarists of his generation. He has been dubbed “a worthy successor to Julian Bream” (Gramophone). Alison and Craig began playing together several years ago to record Craig’s brainchild CD: “Music from the Novels of Louis de Bernières”. The CD was “pick of the week” in the Telegraph and sold over 10,000 copies in the first three months. The duo have give many recitals at music clubs and festivals all over the UK, Autralia and Saudi Arabia. They team up for poetry and music recitals with Louis de Bernières and for trio recitals with voice with Craig’s wife, mezzo-soprano, Claire Bradshaw. They draw their repertoire from a variety of sources and include music by Vivaldi, Hummel, Giuliani, as well as music by Piazzolla, and many more unusual works from Italy, Greece, Brazil, Mexico and Columbia.

click on image for much larger downloadable version. Copyright: Mitzi de Margary

SAMPLE PROGRAMME
Mandolin & Guitar:
Concerto in C, RV425 (sound sample) (Allegro: Largo: Allegro)	Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Concerto in G, 2nd Movement	J.N. Hummel (1778-1837)
Mandolin Solo:
Capriccio No.1 La Tristezza D'Inverno	Pietro Denis (fl.1764-77) Alison Stephens (b.1970)
Mandolin & Guitar:
De Aires Antiguos	Eduardo Angulo (b.1954)
INTERVAL
Mandolin & Guitar:
Sonata in G (Moderato:Largo:Allegro)	Tedesco (fl.1741-1816)
El Fusagasagueno (Bambuco) Patasd'hilo (Pasillo)	Pedro Morales Pino (1863-1926) Carlos Vieco (1905-1975)
Solo Guitar:
Nuage A Felicidade	Reinhardt arr.Dyens (b.1955) Jobim arr.Dyens (b.1955)
Mandolin & Guitar:
Serenade op.127 (Maestoso: Minuetto: Thema con variazioni: Rondo)	Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829)