Hopkinson Smith - Lute and Baroque Guitar

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Hailed as one of the most important lute players of modern times, Harvard Graduate Hopkinson Smith brings a program that balances various contrasting musical themes to this year’s International Festival.

Smith has focused his career on early plucked instruments since the mid-1980’s, with the result that his 2000 recording of Bach solo violin Sonatas and Partitas was described by Gramophone Magazine as "the best recording on these works on any instrument." Lauded elsewhere as a major artist of our time and the worlds finest lute player Smith can truly be expected to serve up some of the finest lute performances going.

Drawing on composers such as Gaultier, Bach and Gaspar Sanz, Smith will present a mix of the structured lyricism and intelligence of high baroque from Central Europe, improvisatory French lute music, and the more traditional drive and instinctive dynamism of 17th century Spanish music.