Boccherini & Vivaldi Concerti.  What could be more fun than playing these sparkling works with a string quartet! I have always performed the Concerto in D by Vivaldi rather straightforward based on the definitive edition from Lute to Guitar by Emilio Pujol a Segovia contemporary. But I always felt the ending was a little weak on the guitar part compared to what the music is doing.  When I started working on the Boccherini Fandango Quintet using the earliest edition of the music by Henrich Albert, I certainly didn't want all the modified versions that are out now. I went in with the idea of doing it with Boccherini's notes but with Flamenco stylings and tension techniques. Listening to the cello part will also confirm his intent. There will of course be a few Musicologists that will most certainly object to my edition, but the guitar of today is a far different and far more capable instrument than the little guitars of Boccherini's day so I consider mine to be a transcription to the modern guitar. In fact Boccherini had written that it probably should not be played outside of Spain as it might be performed "too classically".  Spain understood the Gypsy influence that is so ingrained in their music. And indeed, most Classic Guitarists do not put the Flamenco feel into the music, I do and with wild abandon as a Fandango should be. The end result I absolutely love, and it made me realize how I could upgrade the Vivaldi which I did for this recording. I've performed the Vivaldi countless times over the years, my first performance was for my Senior Recital when graduating from Cal-Arts with the cellist from the famous Roth Quartet, Cesare Pascarella.  The Boccherini is rarer but so musically rich and engaging you might wonder why not, the problem is that the cello parts are so difficult as Boccherini was a Virtuoso Cellist and in love with Gypsy stylings. However, lately I've had a great deal of fun playing both of these works with the String Lake Quartet.