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STEVENS, Keith / American Suite

DZ 276

16 p. + separated parts, Level 2

Four short movements make up this American Suite. In the opening Blues, I like the way in which the first and second guitars improvise on a given scale but wonder why the third guitar is left out. I think it's more practical to keep the rhythm coming from one source. The second movement Folk (Waltz) is fun to play, a sort of perpetual motion piece with nice pizzicato and harmonics effects - simple but so effective.
The third movement is called Jazz and is a great introduction to playing those lovely, syncopated rhythms, which form so much of the elements of written jazz. With a nice easy-flowing melody, the second guitar is allowed to break out on its own in the center section, although the first keeps a wary eye on the proceedings. The March, which ends the work, is a rousing piece and is great fun to play. This is a good work, being not too difficult to play and having scope for plenty of musical characterization.
(John Arran, Classical Guitar, 11/2000)