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It is impossible to remember the person maestro Benvenuto Terzi
without thinking of his extraordinary technical and musical talent. In his
performance there was always present something magical which was beyond the
consistent brightness of his sound, and his very personal technique, all of
which resulted in a sophisticated interpretation of the piece.
His lessons were clever and carefully designed to develop in the pupil the maximum precision in execution without ever failing to encourage the interpretative approach which is peculiar to each performer. [...] As a composer he created in his works a simple but effective harmony which allows the melody to stand out freely and clearly. A notable characteristic of his music is the seeking for particular effects which require uncommon techniques. [...] Terzi was a simple and shy man, yet capable of transmitting in a very deep way his own love and knowledge of the guitar; for me he was and remains a great Maestro. |
 In his demeanor Terzi invariably revealed an attitude of humility which was a mark of distinction and which made him the "instrument" of his own music. Always avoiding any display of ostentation, he sought rather to obliterate himself, so as to direct the focus entirely to the music and to the guitar, the true great passions of his life. |
In his personal way of playing there was no room for ostentatious
virtuosity. His demeanour was cloaked in a mantle of discretion. It was a
sort of self-restraint which pared each and every gesture to a bare
minimum, forgoing any display of dexterity. His physical appearance when
performing, far from projecting a high profile, seemed to be entirely
absorbed into its assignment, without betraying a trace of exhaustion, as
if performing had been his person's main and natural function. He played softly and the sound produced by his playing was small, yet it possessed an astounding variety. I recall each and every nuance of his articulation. It was terse and spontaneous. His rhythm was pulsating and exact to the dot; his accentuation discrete; his polyphony crystal-clear and free from undue highlighting. Most remarkable of all was his legato, which I had heard only once before, from Ida Presti, and from no one else since. |