String Sensation Guitar Duo – Classical Guitar Duo
The String Sensation Guitar Duo brings together two guitarists from Schwäbisch Hall: Jona Steinmeyer and Jürgen Ohnemus. Their programmes travel from Spain through Argentina to Brazil — the countries where the guitar has stood at the centre of musical life, and where some of its most varied repertoire was written.
Jona Steinmeyer
Jona Steinmeyer was born in 2002. As a teenager he won numerous first prizes at Jugend musiziert, the German federal competition for young musicians — the competition through which a large part of Germany's young instrumentalists first come to wider attention. In the duo he brings the precision of that training into a repertoire that asks for a great deal of rhythmic freedom.
Jürgen Ohnemus
Jürgen Ohnemus, who also performs as Veet Jürgen Ohnemus, has released numerous CDs, some of them with his own compositions, and has toured throughout Europe and in Asia. He is no stranger to our channel: in 2015 he recorded two pieces for us, both from South America. One was Danza Brasilera by Jorge Morel, played on a 2005 guitar by Simon Marty. The other was Agua y Vino by Egberto Gismonti, played on a 1959 guitar from the workshop of Domingo Esteso's nephews. Our Gismonti repertoire guide introduces the composer of Agua y Vino and the pieces guitarists play most.
The Duo's Repertoire
The two players arrange most of what they perform. Their concerts include music by Manuel de Falla, Astor Piazzolla and Antônio Carlos Jobim, in versions written for two guitars rather than adapted from piano or ensemble scores. That is a meaningful difference. A duo arrangement that starts from the instrument can divide melody, counter-melody and bass so that none of them has to be compromised — something a transcription often cannot do.
Their repertoire sits at the meeting point of several traditions: flamenco-inspired Spanish writing, Argentine tango and the Brazilian song tradition. Our Piazzolla repertoire guide and our article on João Gilberto and the nylon-string guitar cover two of those sources.
Two Guitars, Two Very Different Instruments
For their recording of Jobim's A Felicidade the duo played two modern concert guitars that could hardly be more different: a lattice-braced instrument by Fernando Mazza with a cedar top, and an Opus Virtuoso by the Polish luthier Rafal Turkowiak. Our guide to fan-braced, double-top and lattice guitars explains what separates such instruments.
Watch the String Sensation Guitar Duo
Read more about this recording in our article on the String Sensation Guitar Duo playing A Felicidade by Antônio Carlos Jobim.
Meet more ensembles and soloists in our list of great classical guitarists.
