Miguel Llobet was a supremely gifted performer whose playing impressed not only fel- low guitarists Segovia and Tárrega but also Albéniz, Fauré, Debussy and Ravel. This set brings together all of Llobet's compositions for solo guitar. Grondona plays an 1887 Torres and, for the Canciones catalanas, adopts gut treble strings and silver-wound silk basses.
The playing is exceptional. Apart from employing generous rubato and portamenti – integral to the correct interpretation of this repertoire – Grondona gently emphasises Llobet's adopting a certain fingering or register in order to exploit every resource of the guitar.
This is as obvious in 'Respuesta', the virtuoso title-track from the Seven Original Compositions, with its rapid tremolo and arpeggio effects, as it is in the veiled world of pianissimo harmonics found in many of the Catalan folksong arrangements (the introduction to 'La Preço de Lleida' being a perfect example). An outstanding release in every way.

The playing is exceptional. Apart from employing generous rubato and portamenti - integral to the correct interpretation of this repertoire - Grondona gently emphasises Llobet's adopting a certain fingering or register in order to exploit every resource of the guitar. This is as obvious in "Respesta", the virtuoso title-track from the Seven Original Compositions, with its rapid tremolo and arpeggio effects, as it is in the veiled works of pianissimo harmonics found in many of the Catalan folksong arrangements... An outstanding release in every way.