Debussy Homage with Austere Emotion and Vivid Simplicity

Mattias Schulstad releases his recording of Manuel de Falla's “Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy).”

"I focus on the work's timeless modernity, shifting between haunting austerity, languorous yearning and vivid hope." —Mattias Schulstad

STOCKHOLM, Sweden—On September 30, 2022, the Swedish classical guitarist Mattias Schulstad releases his recording of Manuel de Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy). The release coincides with a solo recital that took place September 29 at Stockholm's Royal Palace.

The concert's attendees included H.E. Mr. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Sweden and Finland, and H.E. Ahmed Adel Sobhy, Ambassador of Egypt to Sweden and Latvia.

"Manuel de Falla's Homenaje is like La valse (Ravel) meets The Seventh Seal (Bergman)—a dance about life and death," says Mattias. "The work is rooted in the Flamenco tradition cante jondo, but firmly at home in Paris."

In describing why he recorded it, he says: "This music is often lost between wet romantic excess, and dry contemporary fundamentalism. Instead, I focus on the work's timeless modernity, shifting between haunting austerity, languorous yearning and vivid hope."

Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy) follows Mattias's release of Bach's prelude BWV 999, heard to date on BBC Radio 3's Saturday Breakfast, NPO Radio 4's Lekkere track, Spotify's Classical New Releases, TIDAL's Encore: New in Classical, and YouTube Music's Basically Baroque.

Pulitzer-winner Tim Page states about that recording: "Immaculate and sensitive playing that takes a listener to the heart of Bach's music."

And BBC Radio 3 said on its program Saturday Breakfast: "Mattias calls it 'premium grade Bach.' And he says he hopes to present it as a piece of music, not just an exercise. And we think you succeeded."

Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy) is to be followed by a full-length album, made in continued collaboration with 20-time Grammy-winning producer David Frost, as well as a film featuring performances of music from the album, intertwined with conversation between Mattias and Tim Page.

The recording of Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy) was enabled by supporters including lead sponsor Kjell och Märta Beijers Stiftelse and the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.

About Mattias Schulstad
Mattias Schulstad is a Swedish musician and classical guitarist, whose full-length recording debut Invocación introduced the notion in recent history that Chopin influenced the guitar as we know it today. The album is named Editor's Choice by Gramophone, which describes Mattias's playing as "refined, intelligent and highly musical" and calls the album "an outstanding debut."

Invocación is chosen as Album of the Week by Classic FM (U.K.) and WQXR (New York), and heard on editorial playlists on Spotify, where it's reached 1M+ streams to date. Learn more on mattiasguitar.com.

Credits
Produced by David Frost
Recording engineers: Vilma Colling, Linn Fijal
Assistant engineer: Nathalie Martinez
Recording location: RMV Studio
Recording date: April 24, 2022
Editing: Mattias Schulstad
Mixing engineer: Vilma Colling
Mastering engineer: Brian Losch
Guitar: Ignacio Fleta e hijos, No.577, 1971 ("Erik")
Strings: Albert Augustine; regal trebles, blue basses
Photography: Tina Signesdottir

Total time: 03:18

UPC: 196925570480
Catalog number: MS005
Label: Mattias Schulstad
℗ 2022 Mattias Schulstad

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Special thanks to:
Anja & Mats; Augustine Strings; Barbro Osher, Vesna Ljunggren, and the directors of the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation; Anders Wall, Cecilia Wikström, Madeleine Banks, and the directors of Kjell och Märta Beijers Stiftelse; David Frost; Cari Hildebrand; Brian Losch; Margaret Mercer; Tim Page; Vilma Colling, Linn Fijal and RMV Studio; Tina Signesdottir; Willy Silberstein; Karin Switz Sommervold; Göran Söllscher; and Christoph Wolff.