A very young Anabel Montesinos (17 years of age) was awarded the first prize of the 36th International Guitar Competition Francisco Tárrega , whose final took place last night. Montesinos emerged victorious as, in addition to the main award, she was awarded another two: the audience’s award and that for best interpretation of Tárrega’s music...

Anabel Montesinos, who was welcomed with long applause and received a hearty ovation from the audience at the close of her performance, executed Giuliani’s Concerto No 1 in A, Op.30 with enthusiasm and passion during the first movement, great sentiment in the siciliana and finishing with a brilliant polonaise, after which she played the Preludio y estudio brillante for guitar by Tárrega.

Henri Bouché
Benicàssim, 29-08-2002

The guitarist Anabel Montesinos possesses extraordinary skill for music: Her guitar technique is very advanced, allowing her to put it at the service of the works of composers with great expressive technical force.

Given her age it is safe to declare that we are before an up-and-coming star.

Antón García Abril
Benicàssim, 29-08-2001

I have had the opportunity to listen to the Spanish guitarist Anabel Montesinos on several occasions and she has never failed to make an impression both as a musician and instrumentalist. Only a few days ago, as a member of the panel, I listened to her taking part in the International Guitar Competition “Francisco Tárrega” in Benicassim, where she was chosen as one of the 4 finalists amongst 53 participants. Her performance was rewarded with the award for best performance of a work by Francisco Tárrega and she was the only Spanish participant who made it to the final.

Jordi Codina
Teacher of the CSMMB, concertist and composer
Barcelona, 1-09-2001

Although she is only sixteen, her guitar has travelled throughout Spain and has been listened to in half of Europe.

Tomás Santos
Tarragona, 2-12-2001

A few days ago, the 15-year old guitarist Anabel Montesinos was awarded two more first prizes, totalling six so far in her short but relentless musical career as a performer of the highest rank.

After winning a few months ago the international award of the city of Krakov in Poland, Montesinos took with her the first price in the two competitions held in Sevilla and Almeria at the end of May.

D.Prats
Reus, 10-06-2000

She is just fifteen and those who have had the opportunity listen to her say her fingers were created for music. Anabel Montesinos has become, since her first musical steps in L’Hospitalet de L’Infant, a figure of renown in the national music scene. The latest international guitar award in Krakov (Poland) confirms it.

D.Prats
Reus, 5-02-2000

Classical Music Web:

The Guitarist Anabel Montesinos is, amazingly, not yet 20. She was born in Spain in 1984 and has been raised in the best traditions of Spanish guitar virtuosi, training at the Conservatorio Superior de Música in Tarragona and currently (2003) being still a student in the class of Ignacio Rodes at the Conservatorio Superior de Música in Alicante. This Naxos release is part of the offerings for her winning the first prize in the famous International Francisco Tárrega Guitar Competition in 2002. Allied to this achievement she took the audience prize and the special prize for performance of works by Tárrega at the same competition. She has also taken first prize at the Castellón Francisco Tárrega competition 1999, The Krynica International Competition in Poland 2000, The Sevilla America Martinez National Contest, The Almeria Julian Arcas International Contest, The International Guitar Festival in Moyen, France (all in 2000) and The Jaén International Competition el Condado and The Lérida Instrumental Competition Sant Anastasi in 2001. Normally this writer does not put much store by music competitions, as they have a propensity for not comparing apples with apples. However, the list mentioned above is worth repeating in full for, like the proving of a scientific experiment by frequent repeats to give authority to the conclusions, this number of first prizes (the occasional second or third prize she has also won were not even included) must carry weight as to the consistent quality of her playing. It is a remarkable achievement.

Listening to the recording, it is clear that none of these prizes were isolated occurrences. The playing is of a precision and graceful flexibility that is normally associated only with the very greatest guitarists. So frequently one hears that slightly annoying aspect of squeaking left hand movement over the strings. It could be argued as being an essential part of the guitar experience, but frankly it is merely an annoying distraction heard almost universally. Not here. Montesinos plays with flair and undisguised virtuosity but the technical demands are covered by what sounds like a flawless command of technique. Her sound is beautiful in itself, but made the more so in that we hear only her right hand at work. The left hand is a silent manipulator of the strings. This technical command is impressive in fast music but she does not let it become the reason for her performance and this will be the crux of the distinction that has given her so many prestigious prizes. In the competition world technique is too often the be-all-and-end-all of performance. Here it is undoubtedly impressive but is quite obviously appreciated only as a support to the musical expression of the performance.

Of course, solo guitar repertoire is something of a specialist area of listening and it cannot be argued that all the music available, or indeed all the music recorded here, is especially memorable. The repertoire relies heavily on salon music of the late-18th and 19th centuries and of the composers recorded on this disc only Francisco Tárrega would be at all well known. This is not to say that there is not interest in the music, but the majority of it falls into the ‘charming’ category rather than anything more profound. Still, that is the repertoire of this instrument, and it is pleasing to note that, for this first release, Montesinos has not tried to fall back on transcriptions of piano or orchestral music. By avoiding such repertoire she can at least claim an inherent integrity.

When it comes to the music of Francisco Tárrega, it is immediately apparent why he is so revered amongst guitarists. The three tracks of his works are instantly recognisable and are imbued with that inner elegance, redolent of the hot wide expanses of central Spain. The performances are crisp and intelligent, underlined by the immaculate control mentioned above. While it might remain one for the specialists, there is certainly much to recommend to the general listener in this recording. The name of Anabel Montesinos is one that we will certainly hear more in the future.

Peter Wells
2004

JOVENTUTS MUSICALS I SA NOSTRA HAN COL·LABORAT EN LA INICIATIVA

Anabel Montesinos ofereix un exquisit cicle de concerts:

Seguint amb les atractives actuacions que ofereix JJMM de joves instrumentistas de notable nivell, el concert que l’entitat ha brindat en col.laboració de Sa Nostra as Mercadal, Maó, Alaior i Ciutadella amb la presentació d’Anabel Montesinos, a la guitarra, ha estat un exquisit recital d’adequades peces per a aquest instrument.

Anabel Montesinos ha demostrat una acurada tècnica, gran expressivitat i sentiment en l’execució de les belles composicions del seu programa.

De Johann S. Bach i de la seva col.lecció “El clavecí ben temperat”, interpretà primerament el Preludi, Fuga i Allegro en Mi major, una equilibrada expressió de serenitat, alegria, plenitud que amb la versió de guitarra, no perd la seva mestria i atractiva sonoritat, ja es sap que Bach segueix igual de genial traduït a qualsevol instrument. Anabel Montesinos, tancà la peça amb precisió i finor. De Dionisio Aguado, autor del segle XIX, o sigui dintre de l’època romàntica, interpretà un Rondó, el num. 2, molt melodiós i líric, en un ritme que recorda el tango i que resultà una peça inspirada i poètica a la qual seguí un altre compositor del romanticisme, Napoleón Coste, del qual executà “Les Soirées d’Auteuil”, peça rítmica i refinada a la qual va seguir al “Fantasia Hongaresa de Johann G. Mertz, una selecció de fragments basats en la música popular magiar amb moviments que requereixen molta agilitat digital de la intèrpret i que executà a la perfecció la concertista.

A la segona part, després d’una obra, també del romanticisme, “Introduction et caprice op. 23” de G. Regondi, amb un Adagio expressiu i melangiós té un Allegretto Scherzando vibrant i apassionat, l’artista passà a música espanyola del segle XX com el genial Tàrrega, que va ser l’impulsor de la introducció de la guitarra com instrument de concert i aprofundí en la seva essència i possibilitats infinites com a vehicle d’expressivitat. De Tàrrega tocà el cèlebre “Capricho árabe”, els preludis “Endecha” i “Oremus”, el “Preludio” i l’”Estudio Brillante de Alard”, mostrant la preciositat i virtuosisme tècnic d’aquest gran compositor i artista internacional d’aquest instrument.

Després de la brillant exposició de Tàrrega, tancà el recital amb unes variacions plenes de ritme, de varietat i atractiu de Miguel Llobet i sobre un tema de Sor, que triomfà com a compositor de guitarra i que amb les variacions constitueix, una peça per a lluir-se un intèrpret donats els diversos ritmes i temps de la composició. 

Atenent els càlids aplaudiments del públic, com a bis, interpretà un tango expressiu i melancòlic.

Diari Menorca (28-01-03)
Arcadi Gomila
Alaior