Review of Tracing a Wheel on Water

Debut album a complex classic
For Southbridge guitarist, music communicates

Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
by Maureen Doyle
February 5, 2006

SOUTHBRIDGE - If you believe that musical selections today are largely composed of repetitive, bass-heavy pop and rock, here is something new, complex and melodious. Classical guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan has created a CD of short, musically dense tunes that are classical interpretations of nature, folk songs, and dances.

"Tracing a wheel on water" is the debut album of the solo artist, who began to play classical guitar at age 16 after first dabbling in clarinet and electric guitar. Mr. Larget-Caplan played electric guitar in a band with his brother, Adam, until he saw a video in Spanish class that changed his life - Segovia's interpretation of the classical guitar.

"I went home and asked my stepmother about taking lessons that afternoon," he said. And he has been playing classical guitar ever since.

Over the years of playing in small venues, Mr. Larget-Caplan said he received positive audience feedback after he performed the world premiere of "Tracing a wheel on water" by Kevin Siegfried in March 2005 at the Boston Conservatory, Mr. Larget-Caplan said. He was encouraged to record his music.

"Because of their feedback, I figured I should make a CD," he said of the genesis of the half-year journey to his debut album.

He began the preparation by contacting the composers of the songs he had selected for inclusion on the CD, in order to get their permission and the rights to play the songs. Securing permissions and rights to the songs took about four months. After assembling some accompanying musicians and securing a studio in Plymouth, the recording began.

"I spent a lot of nights getting home at 4 a.m.," he laughed.

The album was produced entirely by Mr. Larget-Caplan. His wife, Catherine Larget-Caplan, provided the photography with photos taken at performances in the U.S. and abroad. The cover of "Tracing a wheel on water" is an original painting by international artist Claude Gauthier.

The CD contains pieces from eight composers. Mr. Larget-Caplan went to school with two of the composers whose pieces are featured on the CD, and said he enjoyed being able to collaborate with them and receive valuable feedback. The composers also influenced him as an artist, he said.

"They forced me to listen to my music differently. I changed my guitar tuning and had to know my guitar deeper," he said.

Many of the pieces on the CD are recent, with the oldest one dating to 1930. The music is more recent than many classical pieces because the classical guitar is a fairly modern instrument, Mr. Larget-Caplan said.

Presently, Mr. Larget-Caplan performs no original pieces.

"Only my interpretations are original," he confesses, listing some unexpected influences for his classical guitar playing: Pete Seeger, Jimi Hendrix, and the rock bands Led Zeppelin and The Doors.

"They each have individual sounds with their own classical influences," Mr. Larget-Caplan explained. He said he also draws heavily on the stylings of traditional Indian ragas and is influenced by the international artist Ravi Shankar.

Currently, Mr. Larget-Caplan studies under Dimitry Goryachev. On his debut CD, he performs works of Agustín Barrios (Uruguay), Emilio Pujo (Spain), Lior Navok (Israel), Kevin Siegfried & Daniel Pinkham (USA), Toru Takemitsu (Japan) & Roland Dyens (France).

When he isn't performing at a school, library, or other public venue, Mr. Larget-Caplan is practicing his craft, teaching, promoting his work, or applying for grants, which make it possible for schools, libraries, and other organizations to host his school-enrichment programs "Spirit of Spain" or "Latin Travels," entertainment extravaganzas that feature a Flamenco dancer, cellist, and other instruments. The enrichment programs showcase music from Cuba, Spain, Japan, France and Paraguay.

When incorporated with poetry or literature, the performances can reinforce school lessons about history, English, and social studies, he said.

"You can learn history by its wars or dictators. Or, you can learn it through music," Mr. Larget-Caplan said. "Music is a way to communicate about a culture or to learn a new language, because the songs can convey subtle sounds and accents that are hard to transmit other ways. I can learn a lot more about a culture by listening to their music."