Turun Sanomat
Sunday 15th October 2006
Humble impudence brings enjoyment of live music
Carlo Ambrosio made in the 70’s and 80’s a terrific career, performing with guitar and lute more than 2000 concerts, as a soloist, with orchestra and chamber ensembles. He also published 24 records. In 1989, due to a plane-crash, he stopped his performing career, staring back in 2003.
Sticky Fingers?
Ambrosio tells us in the programme notes “…my hands certainly are no longer what they used to be. They often make mistakes, and don’t always manage to do what my brain orders them to. However, and incredibly, I cannot say that my performances have really suffered…”. Now, what can you expect after such kind of statement? Mr. Sticky Fingers? No such a thing came out, but on stage came one of the best, or the best guitarist I have ever heard.
Ambrosio plays guitar like Olli Mustonen plays piano, with rough and caricature interpretation; like guitar is supposed to be played, for it is a rather pale and mild instrument. Conservatoire-alike sterile purity and form stands far from Ambrosio’s playing as far as the moon stands from the earth, and I was not the only one he caused to smile by/with his powerful conceptually original interpretation. This guitarist lives the music with fire-alike passion and with each one of his cells, using an unbelievably wide pallet of timbres/tones, from Hawaii-guitar sounds to sharp and on the other hand foggy spheres. He can manage to fade strings’ timbres into one another, melting their nuances, underlining with great tonal and dynamical contrast each repetition and ritornello. Experience, confidence and joy, in Ambrosio’s playing, were shining like the Sun itself and, in spite of his statement reported in the programme notes, a sovereign, over human technique allowed him to perform even the craziest jumps.
Good compositions!
Ambrosio also performed two of his own compositions. Sonatina op.12 begun like a warm-up exercise, but as it went on it revealed to be a fine piece of work by a composer who also knows all of the guitar’s secrets. Impromptus op.24, world première in Helsinki last Wednesday (11th October), brightly reflected the highest honourable traditions of guitar composing, both classical and contemporary.
So, how did I like it? “Like hell !”
Tomi Norha
Only a slight number of performers can stimulate the senses of the listener by their presence, he his a perfectionist, this is shown by the fact that he manages his instruments in a sensual way and at the same time with respect; it's a pleasure to listen and watch him in action.Svenska Dagbladet (Stoccolma)
An exceptional lutanist and guitarist… a clear warm passionate sound.L'Unità (Rome)
....what Carlo Ambrosio has been able to offer at the Bern Konzerthalle was the highest tribute and homage to the Reinassance lute and to the music written for it!Der Bund (Berna)
This astounding virtuoso musician has simply seized his audience in less than four beats with his incredible skill at playing, his powerful sonority and rich colours, his amazing technique. And this is not all, there's still this authentic music that surpasses all the technical aspects to bewitch the audience in every moment.Le Monde
....we experienced how clear and rich of timbrical and dynamical possibilities the sonority of the lute can be . The audience was charmed and transported by the refined phrasing and warm intense sound although light and balanced.Berlingske Tidence (Copenaghen)
His stylistic characteristics, display an elegant touch, with precious tones and talent that happily elaborates a range of colours, in the remarkable cultural penetration:
Il Tempo (Rome)
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