The lobby of the Spanish Institute was a welcome respite to those who braved the October wind and rain to attend a recital by Roberto Aussel. Also welcome was the complimentary glass of sherry served before the recital. The evening was part of the Augustine Guitar Series honoring the one-hundredth birthday of Andrés Segovia. It is fitting that this series is being held at the Spanish Institute, since Segovia was a founder and was active in many Institute activities. The recital was held in a 20' x 20' room with a high ceiling and an elegant chandelier. Two towering windows overlooking Park Avenue provided a unique background for the recital. In this room the audience of sixty was close enough to the performer that it was possible to hear tonal and dynamic nuances normally lost in larger venues.

    The program was relatively short, just under one hour with no intermission. This was probably for the best, given that a canceled flight resulted in Aussel arriving from Europe only hours before the recital. Nonetheless, his performance in no way suffered from the long trip. The program began with "Fantasie Hommage" a Ignace Pleyel by Fernando Sor. Pleyel was a publisher who published several of Sor's compositions. Aussel employed a pleasingly relaxed tempo throughout the piece and provided color changes that enhanced the introspective opening section. Next was Leo Brouwer's "Tres Apuntes" (Three Sketches). Aussel played the second and third sketches, "De un Fragmento Instrumental" and "Sobre un Canto de Bulgaria". He captured precisely the arpeggiated sections and angular melodic lines punctuated by bursts of staccato notes. Given that the sketches were short, it is unfortunate that Aussel did not also perform the first sketch, "Del el Homenaje a Falla". Aussel has recorded "Tres Apuntes" on his CD Recital de "Guitare: Musiques D'Amerique Latine" (Circe 87101).

    I particularly enjoyed Aussel's interpretations of Three Pieces ("Hommage a Hirosiga", "Hommage a Utamaro" and "Hommage a Bela Bartok") by Jana Obrovska and his performance of Roland Dyens' "Saudade #3" ("Rituel", "Dansa", "Fete et Final"). Aussel had a true affinity for these pieces and gave them wonderful readings. The recital ended with 4 Tangos ("Campero", "Compadre", "Romantico" and "Acentuado") by Astor Piazolla, written especially for Aussel. He is certainly no stranger to Piazolla's works, having recorded the "Histoire du Tango" in 1987. Of particular note in Aussel's performance were the subtleties of rhythm that he used within the overall rhythmic framework of the tango.

The recital was followed by a reception, where the audience had the opportunity to meet and converse with Mr. Aussel while enjoying wine and tapas. Both the setting and the amenities of the Augustine Guitar Series at the Spanish Institute harken back to the time of intimate guitar recitals and remind us of what we have lost in the large impersonal concerts of the late twentieth century.