Guitarist blends music, spirit in 'Sensual Guitar'
By Gaby Mora
Daily Bruin Staff
When Sherri Rottersman was a student at UCSD, her roommates would get mad if she studied with the door closed. Since her studying consisted of playing the classical guitar, her roommates felt that the soothing sound actually helped them study better.
"Even when I was just doing my arpeggio exercises over and over, which isn't really music, they would make me leave the door open because they thought it sounded so beautiful," laughs Rottersman.
The practice certainly paid off and opened many more doors for the young student, including her first CD release, Sherri Rottersman, The Sensual Guitar, on her own label, Auric Records.
On the album, Rottersman performs the final work on guitar for the great Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo. Most well- known for his world-famous "Concierto de Aranjuez" for guitar and orchestra, Rodrigo recognized Rottersman's talent when the two met in Madrid, Spain in the late 1980s.
"I always thought he was a fabulous composer, and I suggested why not do a piece based on the Sephardic, and he agreed. I am so honored that he would write a piece for me," says Rottersman.
"Ecos de Sefarad (Echoes of Sepharad)," the third track on the album, is a nostalgic reflection of the Sepharcdic Jewish culture in pre-1492 Spain, when poetry, music and art flourished in an environment of religious tolerance. This piece is actually Rodrigo's only Sephardic work written expressly for the guitar.
The rest of the songs on the album range from a blending of native Polish dance form with a mild bitonalism in "Mazurka," written by Alexandre Tansman, to the "Two Renaissance Lute Pieces," a beautiful anonymous collection transcribed from the original tablature by Oscar Chilesotti (1848-1916).
A native of Pennsylvania herself, Rottersman says it wasn't until she lived in Spain that the music she had always played gained full clarity in her life.
"Being exposed to the old architecture and the European culture made everything click," she explains. "There is a huge connection with music that I play and with spirit of people. I found the focus of their lives to be more personal than their work; even people who have regular jobs have such interesting hobbies and are so poetic."
Her 1989 world premiere in Madrid led to a major appearance on Spanish national television on Nov. 22, Rodrigo's birthday. All of this combined returned Rottersman to the United States with great critical acclaim behind her.
But no words were as cherished to the guitarist as the praise she received from the great composer himself. In a letter in 1989, printed on the CD sleeve, Rodrigo wrote, "It is to be expected that this young artist will very soon become known to all of those who love the guitar, not only in the countries of Europe, but also of the Americas and Asia. I am convinced that a brilliant future awaits her."
As brilliant as her future has been, it has also been difficult. Having played guitar since she was 8 years old, Rottersman has always worked hard to perfect her art, but she is now working even harder to distribute it. By starting her own record label, she gained full control of the creativity in the album, but it has been difficult to compete with conglomerate labels to distribute her album nation wide.
Southern California, luckily, will get a chance to hear Rottersman in person as she travels to promote her album in record stores and on the radio. She admits that the setting in a record store is much different than a concert performance, but she also says she likes the informality and the opportunity to expand her audience.
"The guitar is a major pop instrument, even the classical guitar, because it is very accessible I am touching the instrument with my fingers, not with a bow, like the violin, or through a key, like the piano. I have total control on the sound by the angle I use, and depending on how much flesh or nail I apply. The guitar lets me be more aggressive than maybe other instruments," says Rottersman.
Another aspect of accessibility and versatility to this style of music is that even rock guitarists can appreciate and understand her truly sensual sounds. Rottersman, who has been approached by rock musicians for lessons, feels these artists, though they are in a different genre, truly respect her art because they realize how much more difficult and intricate the acoustic style is.
"Many people have commented that my music is extremely relaxing and helps them concentrate better on their work," concludes Rottersman of her romantic collection. For any student who is not fortunate to have a music major among their cohabitants, The Sensual Guitar is a perfect substitute; guaranteed to bring repose, if not "A" papers and exams.
MUSIC: Sherri Rottersman at Tower Classics on Sunset Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. For more info call (310) 657-3910. Also at the Wherehouse on Wilshire in late December. For more info call (310) 453-7874.