The Guitar and a Journey of Two, A Personal Glimpse at How Two People and Two Guitars Became One Directed by David Dusman (review)

Precision is the key element here. The Guitar and a Journey of Two by Joanne Castellani and Michael Andriaccio showcases some of the most meticulously synchronous playing from a classical guitar duo that one could possibly desire. In one segment of the video the two performers discuss what it is that they strive to achieve in their music making. They describe it as a pursuit of “unanimity of sound.” During this 75-minute DVD program they certainly demonstrate that they have not only succeeded in that endeavor but also truly triumphed. The video provides us with a fairly thorough musical background of both of the performers. Throughout the program’s seven chapters we are introduced to each player’s early training, their continuing solo and teaching careers, the luthiers who have crafted their instruments, and the some of the composers with whom they have collaborated.

The comparison between these guitarists’ solo playing and their duet performing is one of the most interesting aspects of the video. As we hear each of these artists play solo works it is obvious that they are both quite fine musicians. But it is when they perform as a duo that the music really begins to sparkle.

Each player has strengths that perfectly complement the other. Even before the duo was formed Castellani was known for having a formidable right hand that was capable of crafting beautifully phrased melodies with crisp clarity. Andriaccio, in his youth, received formal training as a percussionist and still occasionally plays percussion with some of his students’ guitar ensembles. His skill in this area is obvious as he so effectively sets the solid rhythm and rich depth of the duos’ lower register. But as these two musicians combine their sounds the viewer witnesses the emergence of a stunning synergy that is clearly greater than the sum of its parts. And that brings us back to the topic of their precision. In the film these players describe that when they are making music they imagine that there is just one instrument being played which is located somewhere in between the two of them. They try to merge their instruments’ voices as if they are emanating from that one big guitar. And that is exactly what the listener experiences. The duo performance is that exact in its execution. Even the ritardandos and accelerandos are performed with immaculate precision.

Castellani and Andriaccio show that they are able to maintain this level of quality regardless of the era of classical music that they are performing. Their flawless precision is demonstrated on a variety of pieces including Rondalla Aragonesa by Granados, Grand Duo by Haydn, Tango Suite by Piazzolla, as well as recently composed works.

This DVD would be a quite valuable addition to most music library collections. It presents fine musicians performing exquisitely beautiful music and discussing how they developed their careers. Its greatest strength however is demonstrating how two artists can effectively collaborate to blend their musical strengths into a healthy and meaningful symbiosis.