A NICELY filled church welcomed Giulio Tampalini who opened his guitar recital with a very attractive arrangement of excerpts from Mozart’s Magic Flute arranged by Fernando Sor, a Spanish classical guitarist and influential composer whose life spanned the 18th and 19th centuries.

The variations in this work are rich with runs and cascades to which Tampalini brought a wonderful range of expression with the utmost delicacy of touch.

Mozart was followed by Variation and Fugue on La Folia de Espana by Manuel Maria Ponce and the beautiful Three Catalonian Folksongs, the first a gentle lullaby El Noi de la Mer, followed by a melodious El Testament de Amelia and Canco del Iladre. Three lovely arrangements for the guitar.

In the second half of the concert, Tampalini performed Tarantella by Maria Castelnuovo Tedesco. This fast tempo dance traditional to southern Italy is thought to have been a cure for the bite of the tarantula spider. It certainly makes for very exciting music.

Next, two pieces by Paganini – he played the guitar as well as the violin – Romanza, an unfamiliar and beautiful work with a rather wistful air, and Capriccio No.24, a technically difficult but tremendously enthralling piece which brought the concert to a close.

During the interval Tampalini had been approached by a young guitar maker from Aislaby, Sam McLaren, who asked him to try one of his instruments. This he did, with the gentle lullaby Nina Nona, and, hugging the delighted young craftsman, declared the instrument very nice indeed.

Acceding to demands for yet another encore, the maestro obliged with a tango by Piazzolla whilst strolling in the aisles, and eventually was allowed leave.

Tampalini’s concerts are always occasions of pure joy. He generates happiness by his own obvious pleasure in the music, and it seems, his genuine love of people. He will always be welcome wherever he goes with his friendly personality and talent.

Irene MacDonald