Amazon Music – 7,193,011
Spotify – 3,416,060
Youtube – 1.8 million
Apple Music – 68K

*as of December 28, 2024

Special Thanks to Tiger Turn, Stone Records, Alex Fedorov, Steve Hunt, all of the composers, and most of all, the LISTENERS!

Thank you to Take Effect Reviews for a 10/10 in this February 2024 review of Spanish Gems!

Link to Review: https://takeeffectreviews.com/february-2024-2/2024/2/28/aaron-larget-caplan

“a richly diverse and attentive performance that’s profoundly technically and perfectly beautiful. 10/10”

Listening Links: https://lnk.to/SpanishGems

*click image to enlarge or read the text below

February 28, 2024
Spanish Gems – Aaron Larget-Caplan
Tiger Turn, 2024

10/10

The globally praised classical guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan returns with his 11th solo album, where the Spanish classical and flamenco sounds are fleshed out with an inimitable attention to form and mood.

Francisco Tárrega’s “Capricho Árabe (Serenata)” opens the listen with Larget-Caplan’s finger acrobatics retaining the radiance of the original, but also delivered in his own meticulous spirit, and “Panaderoes”, by Esteban de Sanlúcar, offers dizzying progressions that are so flawless and precise it hardly seems like just one guitar is present.

Further along, the dance floor ready “Asturias (Leyenda)” also possesses calm moments as Larget-Caplan takes the song off Isaac Albéniz’s piano and places it on his agile guitar, while Gaspar Sanz’s “Suite Espanola: Canarios” is packed with firm, melodic gestures from the most intense piece included.

Arriving closer to the end, the intimate and reflective “Spanish Romance” tugs on the heartstrings thanks to the sublime and expressive playing, and “Sonatina”, by F.M. Torroba, exits with 3 chapters of cautious and absorbing musicianship that leaves a lasting impression.

If you’re keeping score, this is Larget-Caplan’s 2nd album of Spanish celebration, and it’s a richly diverse and attentive performance that’s profoundly technically and perfectly beautiful.

This summer, the 2022 release of my original guitar solos, honey cadence, reached 4 million streams on Amazon Music. 

                       (click to expand)

This was not expected, but most welcome.

The most popular songs are a surprise to us.

Do you have a favorite?

From the honey cadence liner notes:

Composed at the end of 2021 and early 2022, the six pensive solos of honey cadence are the first of my compositions to be recorded.

I started sketching melodies and gestures that were floating in my head with the intent of creating an album of meditative intimacy, which though on the quiet side, would be able to keep one’s attention. Improvisations highlighting my preferred qualities of the guitar: tone and timbre variation, note doubling, harmonics, pitch bends, and percussion gave me the confidence and freedom to explore. Each of the six titles has a connection to music, as well as general language, i.e., ‘anticipation’ is a musical ornament and linguistically expresses expectation or prediction.

May the album add some sweetness to your life.

We are over joyed and grateful to all who have listened and continue to listen to the album

honey cadence is on all streaming services and a few physical copies are available at concerts or via Bandcamp.
Scores are published by the American Composers Alliance.

* album streams are different than song streams

Guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan is back with his 11th solo album, and second celebrating Spanish musical heritage with Spanish Gems, a collection of works from the classical and flamenco repertoire (Tiger Turn 888-11 ALCguitar.com).

Included are Tárrega’s Capricho Arabe and Adelita, Esteban de Sanlúcar’s Panaderos, Albeniz’ Asturias, Gaspar Sanz’ Canarios from Suite Española, Emilio Pujol’s El Abejorro and – perhaps somewhat surprisingly – the ubiquitous Spanish Romance.”

Torroba’s three-movement Sonatina closes a thoroughly enjoyable – albeit brief at 35 minutes – CD full of Larget-Caplan’s customary clean and sensitive playing. O

June, July, August 2024
page 61

Link for listening: https://lnk.to/SpanishGems

Link for reviews, videos, and press: https://alcguitar.com/album-spanish-gems.php

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SPANISH GEMS • Aaron Larget-Caplan (gtr) • TIGER TURN 888-11 (34:43)

TÁRREGA Capricho Árabe (Serenata). Adelita (Mazurka). SANLÚCAR Panaderos. ALBÉNIZ Asturias (Leyenda) (arr. Larget-Caplan). SANZ Suite Española: Canarios. ANONYMOUS Spanish Romance. PUJOL El Abejorro. TORROBA Sonatina

Spanish Gems is another outstanding recital by Aaron Larget-Caplan. On three previous occasions, I’ve reviewed for Fanfare recitals by the Boston-based guitarist. God’s Time—Music of J. S. Bach on Guitar (Tiger Turn 888-09) (Fanfare 46:3, Jan/Feb 2023) features Larget-Caplan’s transcriptions. Nights Transfigured (Stone 888-02) and Drifting (Stone 888-03) (both reviewed in Fanfare, 45:2, Nov/Dec 2021) are Volumes 2 and 3 of Larget-Caplan’s New Lullaby Project, featuring works the guitarist has commissioned, premiered, and recorded. In all cases, I was impressed by Larget-Caplan’s lovely, singing tone, aligned with mastery of both the technical demands and idioms of the works involved. That same level of artistry may be found in Spanish Gems, a collection of favorites teeming with seductive melody, rhythm, and color (strumming effects abound). Larget-Caplan plays all the Spanish works with a compelling balance of fire and elegance, magnified by the closely miked recording. This is a most enjoyable recital. Ken Meltzer

Four stars: Aaron Larget-Caplan’s beguiling recital of Spanish guitar favorites

– Fanfare, September/October, 2024

Link for listening: https://lnk.to/SpanishGems

Link for reviews, videos, and press: https://alcguitar.com/album-spanish-gems.php

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Featured as the title track to Aaron’s 2022 All-Bach album, ‘God’s Time is the Very Best Time’ BWV 106, is a beautiful and solemn solo and of my favorite compositions by Bach.

 

It has a very personal connection to pianist Seymour Bernstein, for whom Aaron was studying with at the time. “Seymour performed it for me and asked me to arrange it for guitar. I knew it would be title track of a future album.”

 

Arranged for moderate level and above players, the solo is written in Drop D (E string 6 tuned down to D). The arrangement includes a brief history of the work, performance notes, and ornament realization.

Listen to ‘God’s Time is the Very Best Time’ BWV 106:

Spotify • Bandcamp (CD) • Apple Music • Amazon Music

Upcoming Concerts!

• Friday Jan. 19 – cellist Rafael Popper-Keizer guest artist on the recital series Now Musique, Directed by Aaron Larget-Caplan. INFO

Aaron Larget-Caplan Performs:

• Friday Jan. 26 – Salem State University, Altered Worlds – recital and US premiere of Heretic, a micro-opera by Richard Cameron-Wolfe for solo guitarist. INFO
• Feb. 29 – Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma, Concert+Class. INFO
• March 1 – Spanish Gems – New Album on Tiger Turn (Aaron’s 11th album!)
• March 10 – Astoria, Oregon
• March 19 – King’s Chapel, Boston
• March 28 – Tufts University, Mass, Late-Night Concert featuring the New Lullaby Project
• April 6 – Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, Residency+Concert – Heretic
• April 7 – Camden, Maine
• April 20 – Symphony Space, New York INFO – Heretic
• April 26 – Tufts University Residency+Concert – Heretic
• May 4-5 – Bowdoin College, Choir+Guitar, Pravasa – Travels of the Guitar by Vineet Shende

Complete Concert Information: ALCGuitar.com/calendar
*more concerts are being added

Honored to have ‘God’s Time: Music of J.S. Bach on Guitar’ chosen as one of the Best Albums of 2023 by The Arts Fuse and the Canadian critic James Wegg Review (JWR)

The Arts Fuse: https://artsfuse.org/284578/arts-feature-top-classical-recordings-and-concerts-of-2023/

James Wegg Review: https://www.jamesweggreview.org/YearEndBest2023.aspx

Read the articles by clicking above!

Visit Take Effect by clicking on the image.

I am grateful for the many people who have made this year so special. At times I felt like 2023 was a normal year of music making and collaboration, and then I would be reminded that our recent past is very much with us and that the world is very fragile. 

I consider 2023 to be Adventure in Music year, and I think we have earned a bit of rest and a special cappuccino or affogato (see below) to commemorate the beauty that can exist in the world, if we so desire it.

Onward for a wonderful, safe, and healthy 2024, and thanks to all who have listened, enjoyed, and explored music with me in 2023!

Aaron

Collaborators:

• Christopher Bush, clarinet
• Johnathan McCullough, baritone
• Frederic Jodry III, harpsichord
• Robert Lehman, violin
• Kimberly Lehman, viola
• Rebecca Hartka, cello
• Jeff Christmas, conductor with the Bowdoin Chamber Choir
• Charles Coe, poet
• Kabir Sehgal, Tiger Turn
• Alex Fedorov, design
• Steve Hunt, mixing and mastering
• Gina Genova, Will Rowe, and Simon Henry Berry, American Composers Alliance
• Gene Caprioglio, Edition Peters
• Steve Schwartz, Your Heaven Audio
• Michael Newman, Mannes School of Music
• João Luiz, Hunter College
• Tali Roth, Juilliard
• Nick Morgan, TEDx

Premieres:

• Alan Hovhaness – Mystic Flute, Op. 29, arranged by ALC, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA, February 2023 (US premiere)
• Daniel Felsenfeld – Only Winter Certainties on Bargemusic, Brooklyn, New York, April 2023 (info)
• Sam Cave – …in the soft dark welling… at the Smith Center for the Arts, Providence College, September 2023
• Nicolás Lell Benavides – Rinconcito for guitar & string trio, University of Southern Maine, December 2023 (info)

New Album & Recordings

• Spanish Candy – May 26, 2023 on Tiger Turn (888-10) (info)
• Berceuse Inquiète by Ronald Pearl, for the New Lullaby Project, live at Providence College (listen)

Album Reviews

• The Arts Fuse: God’s Time: Music of J.S. Bach on Guitar
• Take Effect: Spanish Candy
• Fanfare: Spanish Candy
• James Wegg Review of 3 albums: Spanish Candy, John. Cage. Guitar., God’s Time: Music of J.S. Bach
• The Whole Note: Spanish Candy
• Take Effect: Drifting, Vol. 3 of the New Lullaby Project
• Take Effect: honey cadence
• Take Effect: God’s Time: Music of J.S. Bach on Guitar
• Amazon Fan Review: honey cadence

Publications:

• honey cadence – a collection of six meditations by Aaron Larget-Caplan was published by the American Composers Alliance, May 2023 (info)

Publication Review:

• This is Classical Guitar: honey cadence 
• This is Classical Guitar: Bacchanale by John Cage arranged for two prepared guitars

Awards: 

• Paul Revere Award for Graphic Excellence from The Music Publishers Association of the United States presented for Aaron’s arrangement of Bacchanale by John Cage, June 2023 (info)
• Cultural Grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for Now Musique, Feb. 2023
• Best of 2023 by The Arts Fuse: God’s Time: Music of J.S. Bach on Guitar, Dec. 2023 (info)
• Reached 6-million streams!

Videos:

• Spanish Candy intro video (watch)
• Remembering by Laurie Spiegel, written for the New Lullaby Project (watch)
• Libertango by Astor Piazzolla, arranged for sextet (watch)
• Interview with Anthony R. Green (watch) 
• Interview with Daniel Felsenfeld (watch)
• TEDx – moving still by Aaron Larget-Caplan (watch) 

Instructional Videos:

• Dream by John Cage 
• Round from Three Easy Pieces by John Cage

Interviews:

• Conducting Conversations, WCRI, Rhode Island, May 2023

Classes

• Juilliard, New York
• Hunter College, New York
• New York University Steinert School of Music
• Mannes at the New School of Music, New York

Misc.

• New press photos with photographer Paula Morin (info)
• TEDx – moving still by Aaron Larget-Caplan (watch)