The Guitar Player

Beloved works for the guitar and traditional Swedish songs in new arrangements for the guitar

"This recording features some of my earliest musical impressions. It joins the two traditions I grew up in." —Mattias Schulstad

Album of the Week (Classic FM)
"Immaculate and sensitive playing that takes a listener to the heart of Bach's music." —Tim Page
"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." —BBC Radio 3

Swedish classical guitarist Mattias Schulstad released his second full-length album, The Guitar Player, on August 4, 2023. The album is named after Vermeer's eponymous painting from 1672, and connects beloved works for the classical guitar with traditional Swedish songs in new arrangements for the guitar.

The Guitar Player features a selection of works from the guitar's standard repertoire, which form an eclectic collection of gems. It's complemented by works from Sweden's treasure trove of songs, presented in new minimalist arrangements for the guitar.

The guitar's and Sweden's musical traditions meet in two similar folk songs, El cant dels ocells (Spain), and Ack Värmeland, du sköna (Sweden), presented here on record together for the first time.

"This recording features some of my earliest musical impressions," says Mattias. "It joins the two traditions I grew up in."

Track list

Roland Dyens: Tango en skaï
Stanley Myers: Cavatina (from "The Deer Hunter")
Isaac Albéniz: Suite española, Op.47, No.5: Asturias (Leyenda)
Carlo Domeniconi: Koyunbaba, Op.19: I. Moderato
Carlo Domeniconi: Koyunbaba, Op.19: II. Mosso
Carlo Domeniconi: Koyunbaba, Op.19: III. Cantabile
Carlo Domeniconi: Koyunbaba, Op.19: IV. Presto
Oscar Ahnfelt: Blott en dag (arr. for Guitar by Mattias Schulstad)
Agustín Barrios Mangoré: Una limosna por el amor de Dios
Manuel de Falla: Homenaje (pour le tombeau de Debussy)
Trad.: Ack Värmeland, du sköna (Swedish folk song) (arr. for Guitar by Mattias Schulstad)
Eduardo Sainz de la Maza: Campanas del alba
Trad: Koralmelodi från Älvdalen (Swedish folk song) (arr. for Guitar by Mattias Schulstad)
Trad: El cant dels ocells (Catalan folk song) (arr. for Guitar by Emilio Pujol)
Waldemar Åhlén: Sommarpsalm
Agustín Barrios Mangoré: Villancico de Navidad
Evert Taube: Nocturne
Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude in C minor, BWV 999 (arr. for Guitar by Mattias Schulstad)

Mattias Schulstad, guitar

Credits
Produced by David Frost and Mattias Schulstad
Mixing and mastering: Silas Brown
Editing: Mattias Schulstad
Recording dates: February 9 & 13, April 20-24, August 3 & 8, 2022
Recording location: RMV Studio, Stockholm, Sweden
Recording engineers: Linn Fijal, Vilma Colling
Assistant engineer: Nathalie Martinez
Assistant engineer (Bach & Myers): Vilma Colling
Mixing engineer (Falla): Vilma Colling
Editing, mixing and mastering engineer (Bach): Brian Losch
Mastering engineer (Falla): Brian Losch
Guitar: Ignacio Fleta e hijos, No.577, 1971 ("Erik")
Cover photography: Tina Signesdottir

Video director: Mattias Schulstad
Video editing: Mattias Schulstad
Director of photography: Lionel Turner
Gaffer: Måns Gullgren
Digital imaging technician: Astrid Ahlbom Andersson

Total time: 53:01

All unauthorized use, including but not limited to sync and AI training, is prohibited without explicit permission.

Special thanks to:
Anja & Mats; David Frost; Astrid Ahlbom Andersson; Augustine Strings; Barbro Osher, Vesna Ljunggren, and the directors of the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation; Karl Otto Bonnier; Anders Wall, Cecilia Wikström, Madeleine Banks, and the directors of Kjell och Märta Beijers Stiftelse; Silas Brown; Philip Börjesson; Linn Fijal, Vilma Colling, Nathalie Martinez & RMV Studio; Måns Gullgren; Gustaf Henriksson; Cari Hildebrand; Maaria Holma; Brian Losch; Margaret Mercer; Tim Page; Tina Signesdottir; Willy Silberstein; Karin Switz Sommervold; Göran Söllscher; Lionel Turner; and Christoph Wolff.

The Guitar Player was enabled by supporters including Kjell och Märta Beijers Stiftelse, Karl Otto Bonnier, and the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.

This recording is dedicated to the memory of Erik Möllerström.