Darren Curtis Skanson's Light Classical Guitar music has a timeless classical sound with familiar melodies and fresh new compositions that all lean to the gentle and melodic side of Classical. The music of Darren Curtis Skanson encapsulates all the wonderful attributes of Light Classical Guitar while adding a hint of the Spanish guitar. With 25 years of study and performance Darren Curtis Skanson is a musical force that is rising. Darren reached a milestone when his release, "Solamente Romanz" reached #8 on Billboard's Top Classical Chart. Darren's previous CD, "Classica" reached #11 on that same chart. Darren was also proclaimed; "... the most requested classical guitarist on Beethoven Radio" by Beethoven.com, the #1 Classical Radio Station in the world. www.skanson.com This symphony is one of the best known of all works of European classical music, and is considered one of Beethoven's greatest masterpieces, composed while he was completely deaf. "To Joy" (An die Freude in German) is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet and historian Friedrich Schiller. Beethoven had wanted to set 'Ode to Joy' to music for many years, and in fact later stated that he had wished to write an alternative instrumental ending to the Ninth Symphony, leaving an interpretation of the 'Ode to Joy' as a separate work. Originally commissioned in 1817, Beethoven supposedly started work on his last symphony in 1818 and finished it early in 1824. The introduction for the vocal part of the symphony caused many difficulties for Beethoven. Beethoven's friend, Anton Schindler, later said: "When he started working on the fourth movement the struggle began as never before.” He spent a great deal of time rewriting the part until it had reached the form recognizable today. It is featured prominently in the novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation, and the movies Die Hard, Sophie's Choice, and Dead Poets Society. This arrangement for Classical guitar and string ensemble takes the immortal composition to a new level with a driving triplet feel. Artist Comments Composed when Beethoven was completely deaf, the Ninth Symphony is an amazing accomplishment. I hope this re-arrangement of part of the 4th Movement says the 1 thing Beethoven was trying to get across through the whole score, JOY!! http://www.skanson.com/product_info.php/cPath/24_31/products_id/50 Sonata No.14 in C#-, Op.27 No.2 (Moonlight Sonata) - In 1832, the German poet and music critic Ludwig Rellstab compared the music of this first movement to moonlight shining on Lake Lucerne, giving rise to the work's byname, the "Moonlight" Sonata. Beethoven included the phrase "Quasi una fantasia" (Italian: Almost a fantasy) in the title. Beethoven wrote this sonata in 1801 and dedicated it to his pupil, the 17-year-old Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, with whom he was (or, according to some accounts, had been) in love. The movement has made a powerful impression on many listeners; for instance, Berlioz wrote that it "is one of those poems that human language does not know how to qualify." The work was very popular in Beethoven's day, to the point of exasperating the composer, who wrote "Surely I've written better things." This Classical guitar and strings version is truly unique Artist Comments The “Moonlight Sonata” is and will be one of my favorite selections of all time. Although Beethoven is known for his more bombastic style, as in the 5th Symphony, I have always been struck by his tenderness. For me, Moonlight Sonata showcases this tenderness while speaking volumes about life and living. http://www.skanson.com/product_info.php/products_id/71 Two classical guitars make this arrangement of the famous Bach work very unique. While one guitar plays the meat of the selection, the second guitar plays almost a descant weaving in and out of new lines and lines from the original score. This is a selection from my Christmas CD that evolved into a duet from improvising for leisure over the existing track. Johann was a tremendous improviser so I do not think he would mind my improvisation. After playing it for Wayne, he convinced me to construct a more structured duet. I agreed, invited Wayne and Tom to help me and the result is this duet that combine's Bach's lines, my improvisations, and new lines co-composed by Wayne, Tom, and myself. That co-operative effort highlights the special relationship that we 3 have and the resulting output that is, in my opinion, extrordinary! http://www.skanson.com/product_info.php/products_id/161 Ave Maria is a Hail Mary from the Latin Ave Maria (Salutatio Angelica), a traditional Catholic and Orthodox prayer calling for the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This setting was Written by Franz Shubert in 1825 for his "Songs from Sir Walter Scott". This cycle contains the beloved Ellens dritter Gesang, D.839, today more popularly though mistakenly referred to as "Schubert's Ave Maria". This version for 2 classical guitars with cello solo also has a unique componet. Skanson has composed a new section that alludes to the other famouse Ave Maria from Gounod/Bach. This section quotes certain melodies and builds to a wonderful climax before returning to the origianl Schubert setting. Simply wonderful. If there is any song that exemplifies what is "Light Classical" it might be this one. Franz Schubert wrote this setting of the Catholic Mass component. Because the melody is so long and flowing, I decided to make this arrangement for 2 guitars and cello with the cello taking that soaring melody. My colleague Wayne Templeman does the cello solo. http://www.skanson.com/product_info.php/cPath/24_30/products_id/95 Canon in D (Pachelbel) Classical guitar with synthesizer horns and strings. This could be the #1 wedding song of all time. Also known as Pachelbel’s Canon, or simply The Canon, Pachelbel certainly would be pleased to know that his song is so enduring. http://www.skanson.com/product_info.php/cPath/24_30/products_id/111 This classical guitar solo combines haunting jazz chords with the beatiful nylon string guitar tone for a composition that completely evokes the title. Composed in 2004, it displays the delicate touch and phrasing that has become a trade mark of Skanson's work. Most of the time when I write music, I do not start with the title. Once I finish the piece, I reflect on what the song is saying to me. This melancholy melody said "Without You". http://www.skanson.com/product_info.php/cPath/24_33/products_id/188