Excerpt from an article by O. Timofeyev and M. Bazzotti, published in the issue no. 103 of the Italian quarterly "il Fronimo": excerpt version with limited musical examples. Publication Date: Dec 1998 Publication Name: Just Classical Guitar, 1999
When we are listening to music (say, an ensemble or several different instruments and/or voices), and suddenly there comes a strummed guitar chord -- just the luxuriant tone quality of it immediately pushes the invisible "Hispanic button" within our receptive mechanism. We habitually and justly associate guitars with Spain (or Latin America), since so much delightful guitar-playing came and still comes from those warm areas. For the cold Russia, on the other hand, another plucked instrument is traditionally reserved -- the triangular balalaika whose uneven shivering tremolo does not fail to push the "Russian button." Film directors use this sound effect over and over when they need to bring out a Russian theme in their...