MANUEL BARRUECO, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah, Sept. 24

Manuel Barrueco is a consummate guitarist. He is a wonderfully expressive player who possesses formidable technical prowess. And while he is comfortable in any style period, his artistry comes through especially in the music of Spanish composers.

For his Salt Lake recital debut Thursday, Barrueco brought along a program of Spanish music that focused on the works of two giants; Isaac Albeniz and Francisco Tarrega.

It was a delightful program, in part, because of the works Barrueco selected to play and in part because the music of these two composers is so different. Albeniz is a true Spaniard, who captured the sounds of his country while Tarrega wrote in a broader, more classical style. Bringing both together on one program was a wonderful idea.

The Cuban-born guitarist opened with his own arrangements of Albeniz, first playing two shorter pieces — the prelude from "Espana," op. 165, and the "Rumores de la Caleta" — before plunging into the lengthy "Suite Espanola," op. 47.

All of these pieces are gorgeously descriptive and vivid. The lushness of the harmonies and the sensuality of the rhythms and melodies are intoxicating, especially as played by a master craftsman like Barrueco. He captured the colorations of the pieces compellingly. His playing was exquisitely nuanced and lyrical, and he paid careful attention to all the minute details of dynamics and articulation. He played these pieces with feeling and brought passion and drama to his interpretations.

The second half was devoted to Tarrega. A group of seven original pieces were bookended by four of Tarrega's arrangements, including two from arias from Spanish zarzuelas.

The original pieces showed the diversity and scope of Tarrega's music, ranging from an elegant pavane and waltz to the more vibrant "Capricho Arabe" and "Danza Mora" — all played with polish and eloquence.

There were also two encores: Tarrega's arrangement of a Mendelssohn canzonetta and an Afro-Cuban dance by Ernesto Lecuona.

e-mail: ereichel@desnews.com