Classical guitarist Jordan Dodson performs Saudade No. 3 by Roland Dyens, one of his favorite guitarists, for his House Music Series video. Dodson had admired this piece for a long time, but never had the time to learn to play it until lockdown began. Here, he presents his interpretation, developed over the last 10 months of on-and-off quarantine. The piece is a radiant ode to the Brazilian saudade style, immersive in its rich texture and warm, rolling melodies.

Dodson began working with Metropolis Ensemble in 2016, but his first official collaborative work with the group was a performance with vocalist Charlotte Mundy, in which they played a wide range of art songs at 1 Rivington. Since then, he’s performed many guitar pieces with Metropolis. 

For this collaboration, Dodson wanted to feature work that he’s inspired by. He was particularly driven to learn this piece this year because he felt comforted by its sound. Dyens, who was born in 1955 and recently passed away, was a French-Tunisian classical guitarist and composer whose work often combined an eclectic mix of classical, jazz, and funk in his music. Here, he funneled the sound of Brazilian saudade into a contemplative, meandering piece whose power is derived from its enveloping atmosphere. — Vanessa Ague

 
Episode: 72
Date: December 10, 2020
Artist: Jordan Dodson
Instrumentation: Guitar
Work: "Saudade No. 3"
Composer: Roland Dyens
 

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