Frederic Hand: Odyssey Frederic Hand

• 1 Cantiga de Santa Maria 03:27
• 2 Prayer 04:16
• 3 No. 1. Introduction - Una Pastora Yo Ami 04:28
• 4 No. 2. Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero 02:16
• 5 No. 3. Durme, Durme 02:22
• 6 No. 4. La Una Yo Naci 02:49
• 7 The Water Is Wide (arr. F. Hand for guitar) 10:45
• 8 Odyssey 12:42
• 9 Sophia's Journey 03:11
• 10 For Julian 04:23
• 11 A Psalm of Thanksgiving 09:20
• 12 Orfeo ed Euridice, Act II: Dance of the Blessed Spirits (arr. F. Hand for guitar) 05:23
• Total Runtime 01:05:22

Info for Frederic Hand: Odyssey

Longtime Metropolitan Opera guitarist and lutenist, versatile and award winning composer, and mentor and teacher to generations of guitarists, Frederic Hand has enjoyed an impressive and impactful career on many levels. His latest release, Odyssey, features his signature brand of compositions and his fluid, expressive playing. In an era where the performer/composer has been making a much written about comeback, Hand represents someone who has been occupying this role with great success steadily for decades. His compositions defy easy categorization – they draw from various styles including early music, Irish music, new age, contemporary composition, and jazz.

Hand’s eclectic stylistic range is matched by his appetite for drawing from diverse sources of inspiration. Cantiga de Santa Maria is based on a collection of songs from the 13th century. Hand was attracted to the modal melodies and irregular meters, and created a modern harmonic setting highlighting material over a droning pedal point. The poignant Prayer was originally written as a guitar duo, and was popularized when superstar guitarist John Williams released a solo recording of it in 2014. Inspired by Bachian counterpoint, Hand weaves an elegant melodic line through different voices in this touching composition.

His Four Sephardic Songs are based on timeless songs from the strain of the Jewish diaspora that existed for centuries in the Iberian Peninsula. Hand has arranged many more songs from this rich source for various instrumentations, and includes four of his favorites here for solo guitar.

Guest appearances include the New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Mostly Mozart Festival, Marlboro Music Festival and the Caramoor Festival with the Orchestra of St. Lukes. For his recording and performances with flutist Paula Robison, he won the Classical Recording Foundation’s “Samuel Sanders Award.”

Frederic Hand, classical guitar

Produced by Dave Cook, Frederic Hand

Frederic Hand
A graduate of the Mannes College of Music, Frederic Hand was a Fulbright Scholar to England and a student of Julian Bream. His solo performances, both in North and South America and Europe have received the highest critical acclaim. The New York Times wrote: “He played unerringly, with all the verve and spirit that one could ask.”

Appointed the Metropolitan Opera’s guitarist and lutenist in 1984, he has accompanied Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and many other renowned singers.

His scores for television earned him an Emmy Award and his composition Prayer, received a Grammy Award nomination. His arrangement and performance of the theme for the film “Kramer vs. Kramer” led to his own best selling recording for Sony, “Baroque and On the Street.” He has also recorded for BMG and the Musical Heritage Society. His compositions have been published worldwide.

He has been an Affiliate Artist with the State Arts councils of New York, Colorado, Arizona and Washington. Guest appearances include the New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Mostly Mozart Festival, Marlboro Music Festival and the Caramoor Festival with the Orchestra of St. Lukes. For his recording and performances with flutist Paula Robison, he won the Classical Recording Foundation’s “Samuel Sanders Award.”

Formally head of the guitar departments at SUNY Purchase and Bennington College, he serves on the faculty of Mannes College The New School for Music.

Booklet for Frederic Hand: Odyssey