Another standout recital the next evening was given by the Duo Maccari-Pugliese—Claudio Maccari and Paolo Pugliese. They used original guitars by Turin luthiers Gaetano Guadagnini and Son, and both played them standing up, in authentic early 19th century style. This enabled them to interact with their movements, almost as if they were dancing. Their playing of Beethoven’s Appassionata and Pathetique sonatas were a revelation—I thought this could not possibly work, but it did, and their concert of Rossini, Beethoven, and Sor was as intelligent as it was profoundly moving. Style, daring, humor, and freedom were all there in abundance.
Gerald Garcia, Classical Guitar 2018
“…Souvenir de Russie is one of the very best of all duos from this period, and I have never heard it played as well as it is here. This is really great music making!”.
Al Kunze, SOUNDBOARD 2010
“…Your Sor DVD has everything I want from a guitar duet – virtuosity, sensitivity to phrase and nuance, a beautiful sound, a finely developed sense of ensemble.
A listener would have to have cloth ears and a heart of stone not to be profoundly affected by this superb performance of music”.
Colin Cooper, CLASSICAL GUITAR 2010
“Maccari-Pugliese più che un duo affermato, sembra essere diventato un vero e proprio marchio: le loro produzioni, sempre più maestose, lasciano il segno in maniera indelebile, come uno spartiacque rispetto quanto finora sentito!”
Piero Viti, GUITART 2010
“Ogni occasione per ascoltare questo strabiliante duo è un dono prezioso, un’opportunità che è bene non lasciarsi sfuggire. Il carattere, le emozioni, la sintonia e la classe di questi grandissimi interpreti vengono veicolate dalla musica che suonano e diventano contagiose, si propagano nell’aria e colpiscono orecchie e cuore dell’ascoltatore trasportandolo in una dimensione magica e raffinata…”
“…la sensazione è che le loro siano non le migliori, ma le uniche interpretazioni possibili.”
Ermanno Brignolo, SEICORDE 2009
“…E’ stato un gran bel concerto, perché la dottrina dei due interpreti, che hanno studiato veramente a fondo la prassi esecutiva e se ne sono resi padroni assoluti, invece di incarnarsi in pose sacerdotali o professorali, si tramuta in gioia di suonare, contagiosamente trasmessa al pubblico…”
Angelo Gilardino, 2008
“…Bellezza di suono pressochè assoluta, elasticità agogica e calibratissimo uso dell’arte degli abbellimenti e dell’ornamentazione fanno di questa registrazione un caposaldo dell’esecuzione chitarristica con strumenti originali.”
Gian Enrico Cortese, MUSICA 2008
“..quite spectacular Giuliani’s Concerti performance by Claudio Maccari and Paolo Pugliese…”
Paul Fowles, CLASSICAL GUITAR 1997
“….They are indeed first-rate virtuosi with a wonderful sense of style and musicianship….marvelous performances of various operatic arrangements…”
Al Kunze, SOUNDBOARD 2007
“…But the real rarities were young guitarists with an active interest in the heritage of the instrument prior to c. 1980, the only examples that spring readily to mind being those hugely talented Claudio Maccari and Paolo Pugliese.”
Paul Fowles, CLASSICAL GUITAR 2006
“…the CDs of Giuliani’s Rossiniane and Pot-pourris are absolutely splendid, a triumph!”
Brian Jeffery, 2007
“…L’Italia… è ancora terra di artisti che, come Maccari e Pugliese, possono guardare alla perfezione molto da vicino: teniamoceli cari.”
Gian Enrico Cortese, MUSICA 2007
“…CD’s were extremely good!”
Eric Clapton, 2006
“…The first thing is to say, what thoroughly accomplished playing! There is nothing missing in areas of technique, expression, musicality, style, and the one thing most period practitioners neglect – flair!
Christopher McGuire, 2006
“This CD is beautiful: colors of the orchestra, tempo + gestures, and the guitar playing full of precision and poetry. Congratulations.”
Hopkinson Smith, 2005
“…This is the best kind of early-instrument recording: historically aware but far from stuffy or doctrinaire. Maccari, for example, plays his first solo entrance in Concerto 1 with a wonderful off-hand bit of ornamentation, conveying a sense of improvised ease that one could imagine coming from Giuliani himself. The orchestra’s playing is transparent and shimmering, as it often is with such instruments, but it is never mannered or grating. Their balance with the soloists is also very convincing: the little guitars are never pumped up unnaturally in the mix.”
American Record Guide, 2005
“…Actual execution of the music by guitarists on the review disc is first class. Each possesses a refined and strong technique albeit not augmented by departure from the use of right-hand fingernails. The orchestral playing is quite beautiful, particularly in op. 30, which is the highlight of this new release. Aside from the period guitars, period instruments used on this recording are complementary to the overall objective. The end result is among the better recordings of this music – distinction between period and modern instruments aside…”
Zane Turner, MusicWeb International, 2005
“…La loro innegabile classe traspare fin dal primo ascolto del CD: cantabilità e legato davvero notevoli, scelte interpretative felicissime e, soprattutto, un gran bel suono.”
Gian Enrico Cortese, MUSICA 2002
“the remarkable freedom in their phrasing, which could, but does not compromise the fine ensemble…The rubato used is of a type where the pulling around of the tempo is totally convincing, and the rhythmic unit always remains clear…”
“…memorable concert which abounds with style, panache, humour, refinement and polish…”
Gregory Pikler, Sydney 2001
“…outstanding Duo Claudio Maccari Paolo Pugliese…”
Paul Fowles, CLASSICAL GUITAR 2000
“…I am grateful to Claudio Maccari and Paolo Pugliese for all their advice and encouragement…”
John Williams about his Giuliani’s Concerto op. 30 recording using a Gaetano Guadagnini – (from the Sony CD notes, 1999)