The guitarist Alan Mearns has been gaining recognition in recent years for his unusual and compelling arrangements of, first, works of Bach, and more recently, the work of other composers. In addition, his original compositions for guitar have been garnering attention. His videos in fact have been charting according to Billboard, a level of attention few ever see. I’d met Alan years ago and knew him as a charming Irishman, happy to sport the cowboy hat of his wife’s native Texas, and talk at length about poetry. It was only recently though, with his remarkable Bach recordings that I realized he is an artist of rare convictions and talent, a true generational player. So with that in mind, I was thrilled he could fit us into his nearby tour.

He played to a large crowd in our most reverberant room, Fairchild Chapel, a program that ranged widely. Featuring Baroque music and an ample sampling of Romantic period works, all in new arrangements either by himself or his mentor and longtime friend, Stanley Yates. (Full program at the end of the post).

His Weiss was elaborately decorated and supremely elegant. Piano works of Chopin and Albeniz followed, in arrangements which revealed nuances delightful to the ear. He closed his first half with an original work, Oración, a piece which climaxes with a unique perpetual motion arpeggio figure which sounded positively kaleidoscopic.

Three de Falla works followed—two relatively obscure piano pieces in beautiful arrangements and the famous song Nana from de Falla’s Seven Popular Spanish Songs, which Mearns sang to the audience in Spanish, while self-accompanying, a delightful surprise. Another original work followed, his Inishowan, a traditional-sounding Irish melody rendered in gorgeous decor. Finally, he played the piece he’s become so associated with, Bach’s Chaconne. Played in Em instead of the conventional Dm, Mearns delivered his multi-layered, contrapuntal arrangement masterfully, in a performance that brought the audience to their feet. It was an unforgettable concert.

The next day, he met with Oberlin students for a master class. First up was Sam Schollenberger, with a performance of the Allemande from Bach’s Cello Suite BWV 1007.

Rio Manzanares played next, offering for discussion the third movement of Ponce’s Sonata Meridional.

Nik Divall played next, Albeniz’ Asturias.

Following this lesson was Aleksandr Lapshin, with Bach’s Gavotte en Rondeau BWV 1006a.

Grigor Ylli played next, Barrios’ Vals Op 8, No 3.

We concluded with Solis Dornan in a performance of Ravel’s Pavane for une Infante Defunte.

It was a wonderful class, focussing on big issues of interpretation and meaning in music. The students were jazzed. Thank you Alan for a wonderful mini-residency. We look forward to having you back!