by Thyra Plass
Bryan-College Station Eagle
What does one do on a pleasant October night besides go to a football game . or the movies?
‘
One alternative wculd have been to hear a classical guitar recital over in Canterbury House just south of campus. It
was not as exciting as a football game nor as bewitching, sensuous, or full of horrors as a movie might have been.
However, Edward Stephenson did play his guitar so that the music carried feelings of calmness, contentment, and
freshness of spirit, even with the traffic of George Bush Drive in the background. The audience, dressed casually for the most part, had come not because it was the thing to do, but because they found classical guitar a rewarding musical medium.
Stephenson called his guitar an instrument of tradition, but his program was given over primarily to 20th-century compositions, rather than starting with the usual early Spanish composers. Too, most of his music was
devoted ‘to compositions written originally for guitar, and not the regular fare of transcriptions from other instruments.
“Three Fantastic Dances,” written by an American, Albert Harris in 1916,
made a buoyant beginning with a slight influence of jazz.
“Capricho Arabe,” written by the famous guitar composer Tarrega, included a prelude and a Dance Mora. Both
of them were deeply ingrained in the
Spanish Romanticism ofthe last half of
the 19th century as Stephenson played — them.
“Sonata Opus 3, No.6” had been transcribed by Stephenson, himself, from a
violin and guitar original. :
The Brazos Valley Classical Guitar Society sponsored this interesting cone
It is a small group of enthusiasts ar
formers who should have quite a fu ¥
as the wide possibilities of the classical
guitar enfold in this community.
Thyra Plass is the Eagle’s music critic,
