In Tune With Domingo--and the Beatles

The ever-rising spiral of Manuel Barrueco’s career reached a high point recently when the Cuban-born classical guitarist entered a London studio to begin work on a compact disc with tenor Placido Domingo.

On this occasion, Domingo was doing more than singing. Having recently expanded his horizons as a conductor, Domingo was leading the London Philharmonia as Barrueco performed the soulful “Concierto de Aranjuez” by Joaquin Rodrigo.

The two struck an instant camaraderie, and Domingo insisted on changing plans for the rest of the CD. Another Rodrigo concerto, “Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre,” will be recorded, and the disc will be filled out with Domingo singing songs written by Rodrigo, accompanied by Barrueco on solo guitar.

EMI Angel has decided to roll out the red carpet for this one. After all parties are satisfied with the content, the CD is planned for release in the fall of 1996, along with appropriate deluxe packaging and video support.

“It is, of course, an honor to do a project with someone who has the magnitude of Domingo,” said Barrueco after returning to his Lutherville, Md., home. “He is a most caring person who was very businesslike and involved in every detail. Such opportunities do not come often in anyone’s career.”

Those opportunities seem to be coming more and more frequently for Barrueco, who is among the most acclaimed performers in his field today. The career of this Peabody Institute alumnus remains on the ascent at a time when the popularity of classical guitar seems to have flattened out and many stars are struggling. Some observers in the guitar world credit Barrueco’s success to his choosing to broaden his repertoire.

That looking to a new direction began two years ago when, after a steady stream of classical releases for EMI Angel, he recorded a disc called “Sometime Ago,” containing works by contemporary American composers such as Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Paul Simon and Lou Harrison. Then, two months ago, EMI unleashed his recording of songs made famous by the Beatles, titled “Manuel Barrueco plays Lennon & McCartney.”

And recently, the man who can totally captivate sometimes-rigid classical audiences was off on an eight-day, seven-concert whirlwind guitar tour with rock star Steve Morse, jazz great Kenny Burrell and blues-pop veteran Jorma Kaukonen. That tour will resume at the beginning of the year, when fretboard-tapping Stanley Jordan replaces Morse.

“I learned a lot. I didn’t know what to expect, but I found that Kenny Burrell was a true gentleman,” said Barrueco, referring to the musician who has played with every jazz giant for the last 35 years, including John Coltrane. “And I found that Steve Morse is a serious musician with some unusual abilities. The emphasis was strictly on music. We all benefited. I enjoyed the hell out of it.”

Barrueco, who just turned 43, said that five years ago he would have been fearful of critics and not had the courage to record a Beatles album. But he is pleased with the results. With such musical giants as Toru Takemitsu, Leo Brouwer and John Bayless doing the arrangements, Barrueco believed he could not go wrong.

“I have been surrounded by Beatles music all my life,” Barrueco said. “I believe it is something of value. Domingo and [Luciano] Pavarotti have done crossover projects, so I decided to have some fun. After so many serious pieces, this was dessert.”

He also called on fellow Peabody alumnus David Tanenbaum, another internationally recognized guitarist, to join him on three of the 13 selections. Barrueco plays solo on five of them and is joined by the London Symphony Orchestra (Jeremy Lubbock conducting) on five more pieces.

Classical music lovers should not worry, however, that Barrueco is going to plunge into the world of grunge. The project with Domingo promises great things, and shortly after that he will be back to even more serious work: recording an all-Bach program that includes three sonatas.

His recent successes and extensive touring have left Barrueco little time to keep up with his duties at Peabody, where he is a headliner on an all-star teaching staff. He still believes, however, that much of his commitment to the guitar is to pass on his knowledge. Wherever he travels, he is besieged by students and often combines concerts with master classes.

That commitment to the instrument has been burning ever since Barrueco, as a small boy in Cuba, heard the guitar for the first time and was entranced. His family’s subsequent bolting for the United States when Barrueco was a teenager was traumatic, but eventually the prodigy found his way to teachers who recognized his ability and promise. His enrollment at Peabody, studying with legendary guitar pedagogue Aaron Shearer, has been well-documented in the media.

In 1979 at London’s Wigmore Hall, Barrueco made a sensational European debut that was applauded by many of the genre’s top performers. Since then, he has traveled the world, playing concerts and recording. He made four records for the now-defunct Vox label, then signed a long-term agreement with EMI Angel. The Lennon-McCartney production was Barrueco’s 10th for that label.

For all his professional successes, Barrueco is still amazed at how many people recognize him from his brief appearance two years ago on American TV. He was featured in a national advertisement, playing Isaac Albeniz’s “Asturias” in the back seat of a moving Lexus. He says people still stop him on the street or in restaurants to ask if he was “that guy playing the guitar in the car.”