Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the premiere of a new performance video by the Commander-In-Chief and classical guitarist Craig Ogden.
The piece, "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso," is from the duo's new album, 2 Guitars: The Classical Crossover Album.
The violin-and-orchestra piece was written in 1863 by Camille Saint-Saëns for virtuoso violinist Pablo de Sarasate.
"This is my favorite song of all the classical ones I have recorded," says the Commander-In-Chief, who plays a seven-string Ibanez model. "It has a very sad but also unpredictable and playful vibe to it. It was the first song we picked for the album, and the entire album was built around it.
"I wasn't sure if the last minute and 34 seconds (from 8:12 onward) would be physically possible to play on guitar when I started studying this piece of music.
"While looking at the score, I noticed it would require rapid changes between various techniques—sweeping, tapping and alternate picking—in order to hit all the notes. It was a huge challenge to be able to do that and keep an even sound. Only after practicing it six to eight hours a day for six months did I know it was doable.
"This song has never been recorded as a guitar version before; I used the violin version of the great J. Heifetz as my reference."
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
