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Nouvelles critiques
«Un mot de félicitations devrait être donné ici aux Productions d'OZ pour leurs «nouveaux» concepts de couvertures. Pendant des années leurs couvertures sont restées plus ou moins semblables avec un design qui changeait de temps à autre. Dans les derniers volumes que j'ai passé en revue, leurs couvertures sont devenues beaucoup plus intéressantes et stylisées. Bravo!”
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine, Mai 2006)
MÉTHODE DE GUITARE POUR DÉBUTANTS
par Sylvain Lemay
La méthode de Sylvain Lemay est, à bien des égards, un outil très efficace pour les professeurs et les élèves. Très progressive, on y trouve au début quelques notions de théorie musicale très utiles pour faire démarrer les élèves à partir de rien. Le second chapitre décrit non seulement l'instrument, mais aussi toutes les conventions d'écriture attachées à la guitare, ainsi que la manière de l'accorder. Commence ensuite l'apprentissage des notes de la guitare et c'est là que les choses deviennent vraiment intéressantes : Sylvain Lemay a organisé sa méthode de manière à ce que cet apprentissage, très progressif et toujours à partir des cordes à vide, se fasse de manière ludique, au sein de très nombreux petits duos adaptés, l'élève étant accompagné par le professeur. Parallèlement à l'étude des notes, et presque sans s'en apercevoir, l'élève apprend aussi à gérer les différentes durées de notes, les rythmes, les altérations, les liaisons, les sauts de cordes et même les changements de position, etc. On peut aussi trouver à la fin de la méthode des exercices techniques allant de l'étude du chromatisme aux mouvements contraires. Bien sûr, les gammes ne sont pas laissées de côté. Un CD, dont la prise de son est excellente, regroupant de nombreux exercices, accompagne cette remarquable méthode.
Jean-Marie Raymond (Guitare Classique)
8 E-MAILS pour guitare seule
par José-Luis Narvaez et Daniel Bernot
Pour tous ceux qui sont régulièrement confrontés au délicat problème du choix, pour les premières années de guitare, d’un répertoire à la fois attrayant et pédagogiquement pertinent, les huit courtes pièces de ce recueil offrent un réponse adaptée.
Le titre de «8 E-mails» indique clairement que ces pièces sont réellement dans l’air du temps avec, là, des basses alternées à la manière du folk, des sonorités qui rappellent les tendances de «l’acoustique». Chaque pièce sera également l’occasion de travailler un point spécifique : staccato, indépendance des voix, jeu en accords... Surtout, tout cela sonne remarquablement et tranche avec les pâles mélodies trop souvent proposées. Une remarquable réussite dont on attend une suite.
François Nicolas (Magazine Guitare Classique)
L'ARCHE DE NOÉ DU GUITARISTE - VOLUME 2
par Christophe Leu
Enseignant la guitare au Conservatoire Populaire de Musique de Genève et spécialisé dans l'improvisation, Christophe Leu nous propose dans cet ouvrage un voyage plein d'humour et de surprises. Chaque pièce évoque un animal different - on retrouve entre autres le faucon, la panthere, l'iguane, le panda, le taureau - et possède sa propre identité, au sein de laquelle on retrouve la personnalité ou la géographie concernant l'animal. À noter, la présence indispensable des doigtés ainsi que des nuances. Chaque morceau s'accompagne d'une illustration de qualité et d'un petit résumé évocateur sur le caractère de l'animal en question, afin de permettre à nos élèves de se faire une idée sur l'interprétation à donner. Le tout agrémenté d'un CD à découvrir absolument (destiné aux élèves de second cycle).
Philippe Mariotti (Guitarist Acoustic Classic)
BLUE TOUCH SONATA
par Christophe Leu
Christophe Leu nous propose une publication d'une pièce en trois mouvements pour deux guitares dans un esprit jazz-blues. L'écriture est de facture classique et s'adresse à des duos de guitaristes aguerris. Christophe Leu à fait ses études musicales classiques en Suisse et a également étudié le jazz auprès du grand Tal Farlow, légende de la guitare américaine. Dans “Blue Touch Sonata”, il ne s'agit pas uniquement d'un accompagnement harmonisé et d'un soliste, les deux parties sont complémentaires et composées. Un bon point à l'éditeur, qui à pensé a séparer les partitions des deux guitares...
Abaji (Guitarist Acoustic Classic)
EFFET GUITARE ou les techniques de la guitare démystifiées
par Roque Carbajo, Bernard Reeb, Dominique Charpagne
Ce livre n'est pas à proprement parler une méthode, mais plutôt un recueil décrivant dans le détail les différentes techniques de la guitare. Les auteurs y passent en revue l'attaque pincée, butée, les liés, les ornementations. le staccato et le legato, le vibrato, le glissando, le pizzicato, les arpèges, les harmoniques, le rasgueado, le tapping, les effets de percussions, et autres effets spéciaux. À la description de ces différentes techniques sont évidemment associées de nombreuses études permettant d'appliquer ce qui vient d'être appris. Grâce au CD-ROM inclus, il est possible d'entendre les exemples mais aussi de voir des vidéos qui aident à mieux comprendre les mouvements de la main et des doigts. On y trouve des explications claires, précises et détaillées des sujets abordés. Cet excellent ouvrage, à la pédagogie efficace, permettra à de nombreux guitaristes de trouver des réponses aux questions qu'ils peuvent être amenés à se poser.
Jean-Marie Raymond (Gutiare Classique)
CARIBEÑA - PRELUDIO EN VERSO pour guitare seule
par Orlando Rojas Giménez
Inspiré par son illustre prédécesseur Agustin Barrios, le guitariste paraguayen Orlando Rojas Giménez pratique un mélange de techniques classiques d’écriture, de différents rythmes de l'amérique latine et de caractéristiques empruntées aux musiques populaires, Caribeña, en La mineur, possède l'entrain créé par les syncopes et les changements d'accents de l'alternance 6/8-3/4, une partie centrale invitant à l'improvisation percussive, Preludio en verso semble vouloir s'échapper de la tonalité de Do mineur, pour y retourner avec une sorte de lassitude nostalgique, Deux pièces intéressantes qui, tout en demandant une très solide technique, restent, avec un peu de travail, tout à fait maîtrisables,
François Nicolas (Magazine Guitare Classique)
MÉLANCOLIE pour guitare seule
par Francis Kleynjans
Mélancolie est une petite pièce à trois temps d'une quarantaine de mesures. D'un niveau moyen, elle regorge de quelques subtilités de doigtés mentionnées par l'auteur. Pour ce qui est des indications d'intentions musicales [crescendi, butés, nuances, etc.], Kleynjans est comme à son habitude très minutieux, Musicalement, cette Mélancolie a tout pour ravir ceux qui se frotteront à elle, Elle est sensible, gracieuse et tombe bien sous les doigts, normal, me direz-vous, puisque c'est un guitariste qui l'a composé! Il n'empêche, Les harmoniques qui annoncent la fin de ce songe le font disparaître comme il est apparu. Voici tout à fait le genre de petites pièces sans prétention qui embellissent notre répertoire et qui lui apportent de la fraîcheur.
Stéphane Hudson (Magazine Guitare Classique)
PETIT JAZZ À PARIS pour flûte et guitare
par Christophe Leu
Pour les amateurs de jazz et de métissage des genres, le Petit Jazz à Paris de Christophe Leu offre l'occasion au musicien non-improvisateur d'apprécier à travers les différents moments du jazz français auxquels les trois mouvements de la pièce font référence. Bonne occasion également pour s'inspirer des passages en walking-bass, des différents types d'harmonies spécifiques à tel ou tel genre pour mieux en comprendre le langage, La partie mélodique ne présente pas de réelle difficulté, de même que la partie de guitare, si ce n'est la nécessité d'une solide main gauche. Se déchiffre sans problème, se maîtrise rapidement et se joue agréablement.
François Nicolas (Magazine Guitare Classique)
DANSK POT-POURRI pour quatuor ou ensemble de guitares
par Roland Dyens
Toujours aussi prolifique, Roland Dyens nous propose ici une oeuvre basée sur l'arrangement de mélodies populaires danoises, écrite pour quatuor ou ensemble de guitare. On retrouve la remarquable qualité d'écriture et les dons d'arrangeur de l'artiste qui font de ces mélodies une véritable oeuvre d'envergure avec un jeu de réponses constant entre les quatre instruments, des changements d'atmosphère et une écriture qui garde toujours l'attention en éveil On note aussi les scordatures dont l'auteur est coutumier (6e corde accordée en Do, Ré ou en Fa pour trois des guitares) et l'habituelle précision dans la notation pour éviter les résonances et les bruits indésirables.
François Nicolas (Magazine Guitare Classique)
AU GRENIER pour ensemble de guitares et narrateur
par Annette Kruisbrink
Les partitions pour jeunes guitaristes sont relativement nombreuses mais celles conçues comme l'illustration d'une histoire pour ensemble de guitares et narrateur sont loin d'être légion. Au grenier d'Annette Kruisbrink se déroule en six tableaux assez courts qui racontent l'histoire d'enfants jouant dans le grenier d'une vielle école. Leurs péripéties sont l'occasion de diverses illustrations sonores. Les événements sont également prétextes à des techniques percussives éducatives: frapper avec le bout des doigts sur la caisse pour imiter la pluie. frapper avec le pied tout en jouant pour imiter la montée d'un escalier. frotter avec la main sur les cordes pour imiter le bruit d'une porte qui s'ouvre, glisser avec l'ongle sur la 6e corde pour les gonds qui grincent. Une part reste à l’inventivité en laissant les participants trouver eux-mêmes une manière d'imiter le vent, les éclairs et le tonnerre à la guitare. Les quatre pupitres sont de difficulté homogène (parfois divisés entre section percussive et section mélodique!) avec des figures rythmiques très simples et un seul passage nécessitant un démanché pour jouer le Do aigu. Les parties séparées sont très clairement présentées avec des notes suffisamment grosses pour faciliter la lecture et le texte est fourni en cinq langues : français, anglais, néerlandais, allemand et italien! Une partition simple. très bien conçue et extrêmement bien adaptée à un ensemble de jeunes guitaristes.
François Nicolas (Magazine Guitare Classique)
TRYPTIQUE RYTHMIQUE pour guitare seule
par Thierry Tisserand
Ce Tryptique rythmique de Thierry Tisserand porte bien son nom tant cette composante est importante dans ces trois courtes compositions. Pagode Song fait entendre des couleurs du blues et du jazz dans un flot de notes au-dessus d'une basse rythmée, alors que dans Arabesque, un motif de base nonchalamment swingué se répétant (presque) toutes les deux mesures sert de soutien à une mélodie aux accents blues, Dans la dernière pièce, Biguine Benenveguda, une cellule mélodico-rythmique basée sur des glissés se développe tout au long de la pièce. Des morceaux intéressants à étudier, agréables à jouer et moins difficiles techniquement (attention cependant à la précision rythmique) qu'on pourrait le croire au premier abord.
François Nicolas (Magazine Guitare Classique)
SIX FOLK MELODIES for guitar and violin
by Marek Pasieczny
In the Preface to this work, composed in December 2007, the composer states that it is “quite easy technically”. Anything that begins on the guitar with a set of rasgueados in alternating 6/8 and 5/8, and chords that stretch 5 frets, and change every 2 or 3 chords together with an instruction to play one of them whilst dampening the 5th string with the 3rd finger, and all in the first 4 bars is most definitely not “quite easy technically”. It would seem that Pasieczny is an exceedingly good player and has perhaps forgotten what “quite easy” means! Moreover the violin player has quite a lot to do in most of this set. Witness the opening “Up There Near The Mill Rowan Grows” with its two, three and four-note chords in quick succession and its alternating pizzicato, and arco instructions.That said the music is charmingly done with lots of biting harmonies and the aforesaid time changes adding certain piquancy to it all. “On The Green Boundary Strip Birds Eat Oats”, is next (what a title!) The guitar begins with a chromatic semiquaver idea before continuing under a jumping violin melody full of energy and an excitement that never lets up, and completes with an accelerando to finish. “On The Dry Poplar a Bird Sat Down”, slows the tempo considerably for a melody that is largely the domain of the guitarist, with the violin (forgive the pun) for once playing second fiddle.The remaining three items are equally exciting and moving by turns and indeed the final “The Furious Polka” really lives up to its name. So all in all this is a fine set that is great fun to play and whilst the harmonies are slightly biting at times, they are nonetheless friendly enough and any lovers of folk-orientated music need have no qualms.
Chris Dumigan, (Classical Guitar)
8 ITALIANS MELODIES AND ARIAS for guitar and voice
(arr. by David Jacques)
Most of the titles listed above, come from a period of song that is associated with bel canto singing. There is a difficult arrangement of “Caro mio ben” in existence already by no less a person than Andrés Segovia, published in 1954, but David Jacques version in C is considerably easier, and just as effective. He suggests using a capo if the written key does not suit. One of Puccini's best known songs from his one act opera Gianni Schicchi “O mio babbino caro” does not sound out of place with a guitar accompaniment the flowing arpeggio patterns complimenting the soaring vocal line of the aria. The songs are mainly for soprano or mezzo-soprano voice. The accompaniments vary in difficulty from Grade 5 and above, there is very little fingering, but occasionally a string number is indicated. There are occasionally some large stretches for the left hand. He lightly scores the accompaniments in a realistic way, which means that the player can move the music along and be more alert to the interpretation the singer is bringing to the music. The grade for the singer is 4 and above. The music is very clearly presented and the bars are of a uniform size, making it easier to read. David Jacques already has an impressive catalogue of published volumes of transcribed music for voice and guitar to his credit. This themed collection was chosen, I think because the songs adapt well to the guitar and lose none of their appeal with the transfer from other musical settings. They have a purity of style and power of expression. In this instance he has chosen songs that are well liked and performed on a regular basis by classically trained singers.
Sandra Hambleton Smith (Classical Guitar Magazine)
APNHEI-TE CAVAQUINHO, TURBILHÃO DE BEIJOS, ESCORREGANDO
BREJEIRO, FADO BRASILEIRO, CONFIDÊNCIAS
ODEON, TENEBROSO, BATUQUE for 2 guitars
(arr. by J.Kindle)
The piano music of Ernesto Nazareth (pronounced and spelt Nazaré by the Brazilians) (1863-1934) has been revered in Brazil ever since this enchanting musician first came to prominence with his compositions and the flowering of chôro music forms, including the diminutive chôrinho, which had flowered from the streets to the parlours of Rio. An influence of European, English and Scottish dance forms, combined with whatever indigenous, plus African music, was to hand, the tango, famously associated with the bordellos of Buenos Aires, also had origins in the Rive Plate area of Argentina and Uruguay; the Creole tango, transmogrifying into the Brazilian tango, filtering into the chôrinho and chôro (confused? you still will be - to borrow a famous by-line from a past but hilarious, comedy). By the time Nazareth's compositions were published it was fairly obvious they were chôrinhos rather than tangos but the publishers stuck with the name. Nazreth also composed a wealth of waltzes, polkas, schottisches and sambas etc; over 200 works survive. One of the great things about reviewing music for Classical Guitar is the knowledge that the readership will contain those who have never had the pleasure of hearing this music nor have the faintest clue who this composer was and that by reading what I scribble here will go on (hopefully) to discover the delights of which I quite rightly passionately espouse. The challenges of transcribing and arranging this music for guitar(s) are similar to those of doing the same with the music of the much more widely known Scott Joplin. This has been done with varying degrees of success in the past and for the most part been highly commendable and effective. I would say that the South American “ragged” music has rhythms that while syncopated skip across the line far more than the northern neighbours (neighbors?) and have more of a tendency for extra passing notes, chromatism and colourful modulations. It feels and sounds “spicier” is what I'm trying to say. Rather than go into blow-by-blow detail I can let you know that Jürg Kindle has done a fantastic job in arranging these pieces for two guitars. He has kept within the boundaries of the fingerboard without sacrificing the highs and lows of the piano keyboard too much. They are a very clean set of arrangements that should allow for a fair amount of interpretation from the players; enough to play with and enough slow-to-fast ratios to keep the attention fixed. Fingering is verging on the minimal, along with dynamic, and tempo markings, but enough to let you know that this must never be bland repetitive music. If it should do one thing it should sparkle. With the scores in front of you and the perfume of the past teasing your senses this music will surely be a delight.
Highly recommended.
Tim Panting (Classical Guitar Magazine)
BLUES DEL CARIBE for 4 guitars
by Roque Carbajo
Composed in 1992, it's a busy little piece in E major, A walking bass line, initially quite repetitive, is garnished with two layers of fast food filling - spacious and with the occasional parallel fourth adding a little piquancy. Over the top is drizzled a slower, almost jazzy set of interjections; certainly not classical blues, and with the jazz shapes creating an airy, spacious feel. And so, subtle changes apart, this repetitive but nonetheless interesting mix of plodding bass, weaving interior and short one-bar decorations moves slowly and inexorably towards a big crescendo and a section marked “alla cubana”, where the harmonies are less “modern”, and the rhythm more insistent - it's a real contrast. There is a reprise of the opening section. Rather than leading back to the “alla cubana”, there is a sudden and expected silence from all forces. And the end of the piece beckons. The music is modest in its demands, and many of the difficult-to-read sections are actually very much under the fingers, and the piece is probably achievable by Grade six or seven players (possibly Grade five for the bass line), though probably, because of the chromaticism, not at sight. If pushed to describe the style, I’d say it was not so much blues as more a whimsical little doodle - nice interplay, and a light, modern feel.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar)
VOYAGES for 4 guitars
by Laurent Méneret (CD included)
Here are six evocative little quartets, at really quite a modest level. The CD contains each piece just once, with repeats. Although there are no “music-minus-one” tracks, the stereo sound image is broad and it's easy to pick out each line.
Shanghai certainly lives up to its title with an evocative sound, and all in the first position,
La danse du serpent has some percussion to open and then a set of glorious intervals and progressions right out of a harmonic minor scale - excellent teaching material as well as conveying a mystical eastern sound. The addition of Bb and a couple of fifth fret notes add a little extra challenge to any novices working from this book.
Ballade is in 3/4 time and conjures up a sound somewhere between a waltz and a piece of renaissance music, There's a chance to play in the second position here, and least in the major section, Some of the phrases are an unusual length, but it works for me.
Danza needs some two-handed percussion, but it's sheer fun and conveys a Moorish, modal feel. We go a little higher up the neck too.
Japan Melodie has pizzicato and tambora. The centre section takes Guitar one up to ninth position and the player on the CD introduces some slides that I am sure players will want to copy.
Moon Blues is a fun conclusion in a shuffle rhythm with some gloriously big cadences to enjoy.
For most of the pieces, the typical standard is Grade one or two. Guitar four is quite a bit more complex and I would think that the best would come from these pieces if the tutor took that line, or if the ensemble were a mixed ability one. In either of these scenarios, the sound is full and players of modest ability can take part in a musically rich and satisfying performance, The gentle progression through the book is nice - it gives learners that extra impetus to improve, and the final piece, by far the most exciting, will be a real target for any novice who has this book.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar)
RIVAGES for solo guitar
by Yvon Demillac
These seven titled pieces are probably aimed at the student of around the grades 4-5 level. As study pieces they accomplish quite a number of useful targets including slurs, arpeggios, barrés, tremolo, position work and rhythm.
The presentation is good, the fingering quite sensible, I can see one or two of these from this book making their way onto the annual student concert, or the like, and going down really well with the mums and dads.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
L'ALBUM DE CEYZERIAT for solo guitar
by Sébastien Vachez
There's no doubt about it, there has been quite a bit of thought behind the writing of these eleven pieces, Each one has something different and of value to offer, both musically and technically. Take the first one for instance; here is a work which would be ideally suited for the Grade 1 student wishing to explore the upper regions of the fingerboard in an easy fashion with a simple melody line.
Then there is the Homage à Baden, a work more suited to the Grade 2 student and a piece which has overtones of the style of the great Baden Powell having sorne very nice arpeggiated chord sequences in a latin-jazz flavouring.
Moving further along through the album we encounter a Grade 4-5 “creepy” work concerning monsters complete with tongue clicks, vocals, Bartok-pizzicato and strong dissonances, This is followed by an attractive Brazilian-flavoured work before the book concludes with three pieces in the styles of Brouwer, ragtime and more South American with a delightfully rhythmic work which explores the length of the fingerboard, these final three pieces reaching the upper Grade levels.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
COLOMBINE for solo guitar
by Erik Marchelie
One thing you can nearly always be certain of when encountering a composition by the prolific French composer Erik Marchelie, is that the piece will be never less than interesting and more often than not, highly melodic with lovely harmonies.
Colombine does not disappoint in any respect, it has a very “singable” melody line which just sounds like it belongs in a film score and the piece has enough rhythmic variation to keep the interest flowing all the way through. This is a lovely miniature, ideal for the guitarist who performs restaurant work and the like.
The presentation is excellent and would be well in the capabilities of the Intermediate player.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
YEVÎ-Â for 4 guitars
by Jorge Cardoso
This is a substantial work in four movements. The work has been seized upon by a number of quartets across the world, and yet the score is remarkably accessible for such a large work.
Pîa-é is a “rasguido doble” in E major, with each part entering in imitative way, set over a simple and effective bass in 3+3+2 rhythm, There are plenty of unusual sharps and double-sharps, but they are nicely under the fingers. The closing section groups the notes into longer and longer sequences of three, moving the beats around the bar in a fun way.
Mbegüé is a samba, primarily in 6/8 with the occasional 3/4, Again there is some very pleasing imitation as the parts enter, The motifs are not so dissimilar from the opening movement, though the texture is thicker, with some very low chords in part four, and a top line as high as fret 17. Much of the writing is fun to play, with contrary motion and lines with a real sense of being.
Jhorî, a chôro has that typical Villa-Lobos rhythm and is slightly more challenging, with block chords in guitar three, and with the lead guitar often having the first beat of the bar missing, This is a big piece with a definite key change to E minor. It's gloriously fun to play, and straightforward enough that the ensemble is pretty much guaranteed to stay tight - just the thing needed to make this sing.
Kire-î, a polka, is perhaps the hardest, with the need to play four against three in 6/8 time, sometimes while the bass is playing 3/4 instead of 6/8, Not for the timid, and there's no hiding place, with this rhythmic feat being required of all the parts in turn.
The overall standard is probably no higher than Grade seven, and I applaud the concept of making such a big and musically satisfying work accessible to a much wider circle of players than some of the tougher works I review. Recommended,
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar)
LA VAGABONDEfor 5 guitars
by Bernard Piris
Set in C minor, the key signature probably strikes terror into the heart of many intermediate players, but this irrational fear of flat notes will soon vanish when the gloriously lush textures of some of the rarer chords in the world of guitar land on the eardrum and soothe it with a warmth and softness that the sharp keys just cannot provide.
The opening has simple chords and harmonics over a static C (the addition of a contra guitar here, as suggested in the footnote, would add a gentle majesty and a stunning depth). Equally stunning is the entry of a plaintive melody, supported by broken chords and some slow, high notes, The word “haunting” is much over-used, but this really is a sad, haunting tune and the beautiful chords add a poignancy to it that is gentle, compelling and quite, quite powerful. The tune weaves in a lyrical way, and the chords beneath it almost glow with warmth and gentleness. But this isn't the end of the magic as the tune moves into the major and then moves again, this time with an effortless evolution from C to E, all the while weaving a mystical spell of gentle movement with that hint of sadness. It cannot be happenstance that whatever the key, Mr Piris find easy harmonies that ring like a monastery bell behind the tune. No, this is nothing less than a beautifully crafted piece of work.
There are some minor handfuls here and there, but the piece is accessible to players around Grade five or six, The slow pace and long notes will require a rounded tone and the ensemble will need to be relaxed and sympathetic to the music. This is not a piece that will impress an audience with its flamboyance, it is a piece that, if played gently and with compassion, will leave the audience in total silence at its peaceful conclusion.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar)
DJEMBE for solo guitar
by Roland Dyens
Djembe (pronounced “Jem-Bay”) is a skin-covered chalice-shaped drum played by the bare hands and is part of the culture and tradition of West Africa. Dyens conjures up the imagery of the effect of this instrument in a brief, percussive introduction involving hitting muted strings with the fist, “c1icking” the fingers and tapping the soundboard with the ring finger.
After an exploratory scale passage running almost the length of the fingerboard the piece settles down into some fascinating, and at times, magical rhythmic patterns, passing through a multitude of time signatures, cross-rhythms and groovy chords. Following a bar of open strings, where the player is directed to quickly retune the sixth string down to Eb and then to D (all without changing the tempo), comes an inspired change of rhythm which involves a persistent open 4th-string rhythmic pattern linking a bass-line and chord passage. This is short-lived however and soon we are back on track with the basic premise of this fine work.
At the start of the book, the composer has noted (using several musical examples) the various technical requirements needed throughout this work inc1uding glissando, portamento, damping/muting strings, slurs and the undesirability of string squeak. From the amount of dynamic and technical instructions reproduced in the score itself, it is obvious that Dyens is a composer who demands fine and precise detail from the player in an attempt to extract the full desired end product.
Although this work is not likely to supercede the same writer's Tango en Skaï in the popularity stakes, it is however, a fantastic, interesting and entertaining new guitar work and one which almost certainly would leave an impression on any concert audience.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
SONGS FROM FORMOSA arranged for solo guitar
by Nathan Kolosko (CD included)
Last year, in 2007, Les Productions d'Oz produced their 1000th edition with DZ 1OOO and it was my absolute pleasure to review this special production on that occasion, The piece in question was The Four Seasons by Annette Kruisbrink, a quite substantial work which I seem to remember marking as the apex of quality from d'Oz and possibly this publishing company's finest hour.
With Songs From Formosa we have an extremely close contender for second place in the musical quality composition stakes. Each of the arrangements are based upon four Taiwanese folk songs: The Lover's Broken Heart (Chou Tien-Wang), Dreaming By the Stream (Teng Yu-Shien), Longing For the Spring Wind (Yao Tsan-Fu) and an anonymous one titled Black, Black Sky.
Without exception, all of these songs are excellent in their own right and have been exceptionally well arranged by Nathan Kolosko who plays all the four pieces on the accompanying CD. Throughout these pages the music runs through a range of emotions: bitterness, joy, tragedy, humour, sadness and all done in the highest possible taste.
Songs From Formosa is an absolutely delightful new release and one I can thoroughly recommend to any player of at least Grade 7 seeking new stylish, attractive repertoire.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
MÉLANCOLIE
for solo guitar
by Francis Kleynjans
This piece has restored my faith in the French composer Francis Kleynjans. With Mélancolie we find the composer back to form in what he does best, which is writing charming and lyrical melodies floating around nice harmonies.
As one would conclude from the title, this is not “party-time”; rather it is a delightfully poignant composition which manages not to stray into any “maudlin” areas (so easy to do with this style) and which has the melodic line climbing up to the higher regions of the fingerboard and back again without too many technical difficulties along the way, certainly nothing to overstretch a good Intermediate player.
A very alluring and enchanting new work which, at just over a minute in length, never outstays its welcome.
Recommended.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
UN PARFUM D'IRLANDE for solo guitar
by Thierry Tisserand
This is a most agreeable offering from a guitarist/composer whose name appears quite often in the d'Oz catalogue. Un Parfum d'Irlande consists of three movements, all with a nod towards the traditional musical style of Ireland. Without in any way meaning to demean the music, there is nothing intellectually challenging here; what there is however is several minutes' worth of really attractive tunes and harmonies all evocative of the beautiful landscape and character of this country and with the outer movements - an elegy and a lament - certainly ones to bring a tear to the eye of anyone who misses the “homeland”, The middle movement takes the form of a lively Gigue but still has an air of melancholy surrounding it.
Any student of around the Intermediate standard should manage to enjoy this piece without too many technical barriers cropping up. To write something as enjoyable as this and keep within that technical level is clever and for that reason this new edition certainly has to be one of the most attractive solo guitar pieces I’ve come across in many a day.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
PLUTON for solo guitar
by Jürg Kindle
The arrivaI of this new edition through the post basically led to answering a question I posed a while ago when I reviewed this composer's work Terre (Earth). I noticed that Jürg Kindle had already composed Saturn and wondered whether we guitarists were going to be treated to a mini “Planets Suite”. Well, a quick check of the publisher's web-site now reveals that we do indeed have the nine major planets which make up the Solar System.
I remember finding the other “planets” rather enjoyable and was looking forward to hearing more of the same and it is good to report that Pluto does not let the side down. With this planet being the farthest from the Sun, one would expect some “distant” sound effects and the composer does not disappoint. This effect is brought into being by the insertion of a matchstick through the three bass strings throughout the length of the work giving each note played on these strings a somewhat “hollow” resonance.
The work itself has a very rhythmic drive, typical of this composer, and concludes with a fade-out ending reminiscent of the closure of this suite's bigger brother by Holst. If the rest of the planets are as interesting as the two I am acquainted with, I really look forward to hearing the work in its entirety.
The presentation is very good and the work would be suitable for the Intermediate player.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
HUMORESQUE AND DANCE for guitar and soprano saxophone (or clarinet, flute or violin)
by Andrew Zohn
Humoresque lives perfectly up to the title and with its quirky rhythm and comical melody line flitting between various time signatures this tune would not be out of place as a background theme to any of the silent comic films from the days of the great Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd et al. I hope that sets the scene. Coming out of the blue at approximately the mid-way point is a sudden Adagio where the composer seems to pay homage to Mozart with a variation upon that composer's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Once again, quite a humorous concept and a nice touch at that point in the composition.
The vigorous accompanying Dance has an unremitting guitar part throughout its entirety with the melody instrument weaving its way atop all these arpeggios with quite strong and dramatic theme , the 12/8 rhythm pushing the work ever forward to a stirring conclusion.
Humoresque and Dance would suit a pair of higher Intermediate players and is good enough to be strongly considered for a stage performance.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
DJEMBE for guitar, string quartet and flute
by Roland Dyens
There are two versions of this composition, one for solo guitar (reviewed separately) and this one for guitar in ensemble with flute and string quartet, both written in 2007.
Basically, this ensemble version has the guitarist playing more or less the same as the published solo one. The flute (which is marked ad lib.) really does not do much more than reinforce the guitar's melodic line, although it does have a brief moment of glory in the rhythmic change around the half-way mark in the piece.
I first came across Dyens's string quartet writing a couple of years ago when I read through his arrangements for this medium of seven of Fernando Sor's guitar studies, I remember being most impressed then, and now once again I am delighted to report that his compositional skills have raised this original guitar work to new heights of enjoyment with some superb writing in the strings, Djembe is an exciting, highly rhythmic and exhilarating piece, full of character and energy.
A fine new edition from a very skilled composer,
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar)
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