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| The Guitar Duo |
| KÖLNER STADT-ANZEIGER - September 1998 |
Fast Fingers
Bergisch Gladbach: The duo formation of Manuel Delgado from Barcelona and Ralf Siedhoff from Weimar is simply called "The Guitar Duo". They met first in Tunis, talk in English and include folkloric elements from India, Spain and god knows from where else – who would say that this is not international enough.
A considerable audience gathered in the stage area of the "Löwe" in order to listen to the original compositions of the two musicians. The Spaniard played predominantly the flamenco guitar and the German the "ordinary" classical guitar and the tinny 12 string guitar. Both have fast fingers and to top it all a remarkable culture of sound.
It was played without big talks: alternating compositions of both of them, always from memory, always virtually perfect. It was stylistically a multicultural cuddle mix for feeling good and relaxing – sometimes a bit of jazz, sometimes a bit of Indian sitar music but also pure-bred flamenco. The changes of the different instruments and styles brought variety into the soundmix. Without them it would be on a long term basis more suitable as background music. An evening for the musical relaxation followed by strong applause. (D.M.) |
| The Guitar Duo |
| LEIPZIGER VOLKSZEITUNG - September 1998 |
Guitar Duo – Spanish heat in the early autumn of Leipzig
Delgado and Siedhoff delighted their audience in the jampacked MB
There couldn’t have been more heat in Tunisia where Manuel Delgado first met Ralf Siedhoff. This could have been the thought of some people while they were listening to the strains of the Guitar Duo in the grand event room of the MB. The spotlights contributed to this impression while Delgado invoked the shimmering heat of Spain.
The highly concentrated faces of the guitar players showed that there is an enormous effort behind the melodies which flow wonderful lightly along. Both of the musicians gave the time once more once less intensive with the foot. But with more passionate songs they acted with the whole body. You saw and felt their enthusiasm for the music and the joy for their own pieces. They are actually a little bit proud of their new CD „Azucena", which one Siedhoff quite often pointed out to the audience with a wink. The disc is warmly recommended but it doesn’t reach the atmosphere of the live concerts of the duo. Delgado acts the proud Spaniard at the guitar and Siedhoff wins the audience quickly by his nonchalant manner. The harmony in the team wasn’t only heard but seen. During the play they give each other looks over and over again, they smile and peruse attentive the soloparts of the other one.
The looks of the listeners were sticking to the artists with the same kind of tension. The duo develops a strong presence on stage which is therefore only barely equipped. Beside the instruments and loudspeakers there was only a flag of the Raï-Haus which was the organiser of the concert.
After more than one and a half hours and two encores which were knocked out by the stormy applause of the enthusiastic audience the guitar duo dismissed his listeners into the autumn Leipzig. But still after a while you had the feeling of just coming out of the sun.(Andrea Burkhardt)
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