Johannes Moller, as the front cover of his CD tells us, was the 2010 winner of the Guitar Foundation of America Competition. Listening to his debut Guitar Recital (Naxos 8.572715) it is not hard to see why.
Most of the works performed in this compilation require considerable technical facility. But as is almost invariably the case, that technique must be harnessed to the expressive needs of the melodic-harmonic countors of the piece. So for example the rolling tremelo of the melody line of Mangore's "En Sueno en la Foresta" must be balanced and made one with the very different accompanying figure. Moller handles such passages with disarming ease, as he does many similar phrasing quandaries in the brilliant pieces included here. So it is with the Villa Lobos "Etudes" which I remember my roomate George gradually mastering over many week's time years ago. It's not of course just a matter of getting the notes right and the timing down; all the disparate parts must flow together as one. And so it is also with Leo Brouwer's gorgeous "Sonata."
Johannes Moller is the complete virtuoso. He makes the complicated sound natural, musical, a part of the total thrust of the musical piece at hand. This maturity of phrasing seems to me rather remarkable for so young a player. In any event the recital is a glowing success, with performances any guitar afficionado will be thrilled to hear again and again. Recommended!
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