Biblioteca de la Guitarra y Cuerda Pulsada

The four movement Guitar Quintette Opus143 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 - 1968) was performed by guitarist John Dowdall, violinists Miera Kim & Beth Hoffman, violist Lisa Ponton and cellist Carey Bostian on Red Cedar Chamber Music's concert series on Sunday, October 6, 2013 at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco was a Jewish Italian composer who immigrated to the U.S. in 1939 when his classical music was banned by the Italian fascist government. He became a film composer for MGM for some 200 Hollywood movies and also taught at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music (now UCLA) where his students included Henry Mancini, Andre Previn and John T. Williams.

He met the famous guitarist Andres Segovia at a contemporary music conference in Venice in 1932 and his enduring friendship with Segovia inspired him to write the Guitar Quintette Opus143, which is a showcase for his beautiful and vibrant melodies and brilliant sonorities for string quartet. Castelnuovo-Tedesco was one of the most prolific composers of classical guitar music in the 20th century.

Video by John Richard of Iowa City, IA with audio by Peter Nothnagle of Iowa City, IA.
Artist sponsorship provided by Don & Irene (Naxera) Hamous.