ANTS MOVING A MOUNTAIN for choir and guitar (or piano)
by Nathan Kolosko
This work is based on a poem by the Taiwanese poet Xie An-Tong and can be performed with a guitar backing a small group of Singers, or a piano backing a larger choir. The vocal parts are only set for two voices, soprano and baritone, and are set in Taiwanese both in their script and phonetically in our alphabet, and moreover are expected also to provide the tambourine and bass drum parts too. The guitar part, which mirrors the piano part, which is not meant to be played at the same time, is relatively easy throughout most of the piece, only getting a little more adventurous at the closing section. The music is very modal in style and extremely pleasant and I could see a relatively inexperienced group of musicians having a lot of fun with this little gem.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
POEM TO A DISTANT FIRE for solo guitar
by Johannes Möller
This Swedish-born composer was something of a prodigy, composing music for various chamber ensembles and having a selection of them recorded by some of the top Swedish instrumentalists when he was but a mere 14. A guitarist since the age of 13, he has produced a number of highly individual works, not the least of which is this latest offering, which has the rather unusual scordatura of 3rd string to F#, the 5th to G and the 6th to the G an octave below the 6th string 3rd fret G!
Written about a particularly vivid landscape he witnessed, wherein he immediately thought of a musical phrase, the opening is a tricky mixture of the natural note interwoven with artificial harmonics in such a way as to make going very difficult. Its marking of “Spacious” does little to alleviate the difficulty factor which is extremely high. Then a second idea base around a pedal point of Gs underpinning complex chord voicings leads to a section marked “Nocturne”, a melodic rubato in mostly two voices. At the final close the interwoven harmonics and natural notes rise up to an ethereal close.
Beautiful though this is, the scordatura might put some of you off, and if not, be prepared for some real hefty work trying to master its mysteries, which are many and varied. Wonderfully prepared and printed.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
SONG TO THE MOTHER for solo guitar
by Johannes Möller
As the composer states in his very honest preface, the piece is startlingly complex when notated, and yet is to be played very freely, making the rhythms freer than they appear to be when actually placed on paper. Therefore the player is encouraged to first study the piece in great detail, and then having internalised it, express the music freely, without actually reading the music.
The piece is a very warm emotional and (thankfully, given the complexity) slow piece that celebrates motherhood in all its forms. In spite of its stunningly difficult appearance it is not quite as hard as that when performed, although, to be reasonable it would frighten away all but the very best of players, especially as nearly every bar includes semi and demisemiquavers in all manner of complexities that require a very mature technique to
successfully negotiate.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely piece, and in spite of its difficulties should find any number of interested converts if they can get past the notation.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
TALISMAN for 3 guitars (or 2 guitars and violoncello)
by Dusan Bogdanovic
This Yugoslav-born composer has written a multitude of fine works involving the guitar that are often extremely original in concept. This latest work is in two movements A Prelude and Fugue and has a third part either for guitar or cello. The score only notates the three guitars, whilst the separate parts include all four instruments.
The Prelude (set in D minor with all three guitars’ 6th strings to a low D) begins on guitar one with a frenetic run of semi and demisemiquavers before some very jazzy chords largely based on fourth intervals enter on guitar 2. The rhythms are off beat and there are plenty of complex interactions between all three musicians, right from the start. The hectic pace never lightens up and after 29 bars a sudden reminder in octaves across all three guitars of the opening line, the movement suddenly stops. The Fugue that follows is also an allegro and much of this movement is also set in semiquavers, in very much the same musical vein as the Prelude. The harmonies throughout are modern and chromatic with a flavouring of jazz always there. Again the movement is relatively short (31 bars) and only winds down slightly at the very end at which point some eerie glissandi in quavers across all three players lead to a winding down and a sudden and final golpe.
Players would have to be quite advanced for this little pairing as the chromatic nature of both movements makes this set no easy read. I am sure however that there are many performers who will delight in this new work, by one of our most gifted composers and as such therefore I can recommend this as well worth the effort required.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
FIVE PERSIAN MINIATURES for solo guitar
by Dusan Bogdanovic
As you might expect from the title, the harmony work here is exotically coloured but also the rhythms, which are at times extremely complex.
Take the first piece, Flower Promenade, the opening eight bars of which are almost entirely in harmonics, both natural and artificial, also they are written in complex groupings and then in ever-changing time Signatures. So the thing to remember about these pieces is that they are miniatures, only because they are short, it has nothing to do with how easy they are, because they most certainly are extremely difficult.
The second piece, Rubab Player is in 5/4, marked “Pesante”, and has plenty of demisemiquaver runs to keep you on your toes (or fingers), whilst the third, A Page from a Sonnet, follows the same trend of very small notes in highly complex groupings amongst multiple time signatures (here only the last two bars have the same time Signature together, every other of the first 12 bars has a different time Signature),
The same can be said for the remaining two pieces, The Prince and the Ascetic, and Bird and Flower.
A note regarding improvisation, which is encouraged in Nos 1, 3 and 5 is included in the Preface with examples of the scales used in the pieces to help the player.
Bogdanovic is a top-rate performer/composer whose music is highly in demand and as such I am sure that this latest set will do very well but beware, for they are really only worth attempting if your musical arsenal is also top-class.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
WHEN BUDS ARE BREAKING for two guitars
by Johannes Möller
Möller was obviously some sort of wunderkind; a self-taught composer who by the age of 12 had written a large quantity of mainly chamber works for various instrumental combinations, a selection of which were recorded for a Swedish CD by top players by the time he was 14!
This duet is set in one continuous movement subdivided into several sections. The opening, marked “Evocative” has a very slow beat, (crotchet = 35) but the beats themselves are often divided into notes of very small length indeed with guitar 1 playing an ever-changing pattern of notes atop a repeated motto on guitar 2. This leads straight into the next section (B) and thence to a flowing melody set at a slightly faster tempo, the main idea of which continues for some considerable time until a rallentando takes us midway through the piece to a section marked “Spacious” where things calm down slightly for a little while. It is a short breather however for then the fast runs reoccur and reach a climax of complexity where guitar one is playing (at bar 96) 3 groups of 9 hemidemisemiquavers, 2 groups of 7 demisemiquavers, 5 demisemiquaver and 7 semiquavers against the second guitar’s 9 demisermiquavers, 10 demisemiquavers, a group of 7 demisemiquavers and a final flourish of 6 demisemiquavers and a semiquaver! (Fast then? Ed.) Try tapping that one out.
There follows a Joyful section leading into the final Journey where a long climactic tremolo-like idea on both guitars leads after 13 pages of closely printed score to a huge strummed coda.
This piece is very effective but very complicated and really is only playable by a top-notch duo, as anyone else would be left standing at the difficulties involved in actually getting your fingers round the piece, That said it is tonal and a very well written piece and providing your duo has the very necessary big guns to attempt it, it should sound very good indeed.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
PAVAN for solo guitar
by Nathan Kolosko
This piece marked “moderato” and “misterioso” has a very moody, enigmatic feel to its harmonies that I found entirely gripping from the first note. With the 6th tuned down to D. and ostensibly in D minor it begins on a pedal of A and via a rather circuitous route only makes it to a D minor at bar 13, so the effect is immediately of tonal lurches that are fascinating to encounter, A little motto of one bar’s length keeps returning at salient points to mark the way through the piece, which is certainly playable by most people who are only moderate guitarists, except for the final couple of bars where a fortissimo run through a two handed approach on the fmgerboard similar to that style used by certain acoustic steel players, makes the ending tricky but really effective.
I really enjoyed this piece: it was a little different, not too difficult to play and had a nicely balanced
character to it through its three-minutes-or-so of length. Nice piece.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
DEUX CHANSONS SEPHARADES for voice and guitar
by Dusan Bogdanovic
The first of these two contrasting songs Durme, Durme is composed as a lament in a traditional Spanish style. He adds interest to the single line accompaniment, by constantly changing the time signatures, and by using different rhythm patterns. The way it is written suggests a certain amount of flexibility in interpretation but, the singer would have to lead confidently and the guitarist would have to follow. In this duet the success of each part is dependent on a strong interaction between vocalist and player.
The second song Rahel creates a different mood, and is longer with more verses. It is bright and cheerful in content, and composed in a familiar folk song genre. He adds extra colour to the accompaniment by his extensive use of harmonics.
Interestingly, he doesn’t give any metronome markings or tempo indications in either song, and the fingering is left to the individual. Again he likes to rework some of his musical ideas, and this helps to make the guitar part sound fluent.
What are the songs about? Strangely nowhere in the music does it say that the songs are in Spanish, or from what region they come, more information on the subject would have been helpful. No translation is included, so you would have to find out this information for yourself. The music is clearly printed and spaciously laid out, and the cover has the same portrait of Dusan Bogdanovic in sepia as appears in other publications. His biography is included at the beginning of the book, and gives a detailed account of his artistic achievements to date. The second song is around grade 3 for the singer and grade 4 for the guitarist. The first song is harder and is around grade 5 for both singer and guitarist. They are composed in a medium voice range.
Dusan Bogdanovic has a very good understanding of what works for guitar and voice, and his music is always interesting to listen to.
Sandra Hambleton Smith (Classical Guitar Magazine)
THINGS I NEVER SAID for voice and guitar,
music by Dusan Bogdanovic
poetry by Patricia Capetola
As the above title aptly describes, these three poems in English try to describe the emotional journey taken when a relationship finishes. Things I Never Said is the title of the first song, which describes how with foresight things could have been different. Dark Night’s about the loneliness of loss. The third song, In My Town is about inhabiting a space that is no longer filled by the presence of a lover.
In his songs there is a good balance between the vocal line and the guitar accompaniment, and he successfully reuses a lot of his motifs to good effect, repeating them frequently. This repetitive writing for the guitar helps to create a hypnotic effect at times, and keeps the flow of the music moving on effortlessly. He also maximises the use of an interesting chord once found. The songs create an atmosphere and show an intimate emotional world, The verse is simple direct and engaging, drawing the listener in. The poets name suggests she is female, but the verse is written from a male perspective, the songs are for a medium low voice, using a range of notes just under an octave and a half.
Dusan Bogdanovic was born in Yugoslavia in 1955; he has to his credit over 50 published compositions, works for guitar, piano chamber and orchestral ensembles, as well as almost 20 recordings ranging from Bach through to contemporary music. He has moved around extensively throughout Europe Asia and the United States absorbing different musical cultures and styles. His more detailed biography appears on the first page of the book.
The cover is stiff white card with a mid brown trim featuring a photo of Dusan Bogdanovic in sepia tones, not smiling but with a downcast expression. The music is clearly printed and well laid out. Some left hand fingerings, positions and dynamics are given. As the text is an important part of these songs, the poems are also presented on a separate sheet. Both the poems and the music are written in a contemporary abstract style.
The standard is around grade 5 for both singer and guitarist. Although for a medium voice, occasionally the tessitura sits rather high, located where a break naturally occurs between the middle and higher register of the voice.
Dusan Bogdanovic leaves enough flexibility in the music so that both artists can find their own creative voice.
Sandra Hambleton Smith (Classical Guitar Magazine)
SOUTHEAST MEETS SOUTHWEST - CD
Nebojsa Bugarski (cello) Zarko Ignjatovic (guitar)
Full marks to this highly skilled Balkan team for serving up almost an hour of quality merchandise in which all except the Bartok are guitar and cello originals. Dusan Bogdanovic, who opens and closes the proceedings, provides an agreeable appetiser with Quatre Pièces Intimes.
The valedictory Rainforest Canticles find Bogdanovic on more inspired form, although even here none of the six short movements leaves a particularly deep impression.
But there can be no doubt that the two stars of the present release are Radames Gnattali (1906-1988) and Atanas Ourkouzounov (b. 1970), who also happen to be the oldest and joint-youngest direct contributors, Bartok notwithstanding. In a classy middleweight triptych that draws on folk and rock influences, Bulgarian-born Ourkouzounov displays a particular capacity for exploiting the percussive possibilities of the cello, a resource that tends to be underused by composers writing for this combination.
According to Ignjatovic’s programme notes, Gnattali “wrote [an] abundance of good music for cello and guitar”, although I can’t say a great deal of it has ever come my way. But I’m more than willing to take Ignjatovic’s word that “the charm of this particular sonata is unique”, the compelling opening figure alone suggesting the man was at the top of his game on the day he put pen to paper in 1969. What follows certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Finally, the alarm bells were clanging to capacity by the time I’d read about Marcelo J. Nisinman, an Argentine contemporary of Ourkouzounov. The title Homenaje a un Angel gives a pretty strong clue as to what we’re up against and sure enough, Nisinman is paying tribute to his erstwhile mentor, Astor Piazzolla. But at least Nisinman abandoned its original strategy of rewriting Verano Porteno, whatever that may have entailed, in favour of coming up with an original composition. And I’m relieved to say the outcome is far more palatable than might have been feared, the inevitable Piazzolla influence being submerged for the most part by the presence of a younger and clearly more adventurous hand.
Stylish performances throughout, and a programme that most certainly hits the spot with the Gnattali and the Ourkouzounov.
Paul Fowles (Classical Guitar Magazine)
ANIMUS REUS for solo guitar
by Nathan Kolosko
In recent times there is one composer whose name keeps making an occasional appearance in my review package and that is the American guitarist Nathan Kolosko. In my experience of playing through his music I have never once been even slightly disappointed by his skilful compositions and arrangements and in fact his Dreaming By the Stream (from the four-movement piece Songs from Formosa) has become a firm favourite of mine to perform.
Animus Reus is probably going to knock Dreaming By the Stream off its pedestal as this has to be one of the most beautiful and emotionally moving solo guitar pieces I’ve come across in many a year.
Apparently it was composed as a gift for four friends of the composer who had gone through some life challenges and this is well reflected in this slow, lyrical and very expressive composition. The relatively rare tuning of 6th string to low C gives Kolosko the opportunity to obtain wonderfully rich textures throughout the work. This soulful piece would move the most hardened of hearts and I can well imagine it having a stunning impact if used perhaps as an alternative calm encore item.
Technically it would be manageable for the Grade 5-6 player.
Highly recommended
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
TONADILLA for solo guitar
by Nathan Kolosko
Starting with a brief, but arresting, introduction of a slightly dark nature with Spanish undertones, Tonadilla soon gets underway with a doubling up of tempo and grows from a delicate melodic line performed in harmonics into a more substantial composition where, eventually things hot up with the odd rasgueado and cascading triplets culminating in a short and tranquil echo of the beginning of the work before an explosive brief bit of strumming concludes the piece abruptly.
Throughout Kolosko utilises some splendid harmonies and good melodic invention reminiscent of the likes of Granados and Turina.
The piece is good enough to be included in any formal concert repertoire although placement in the programme may be restricted due to the piece’s brevity.
A well presented publication, neatly fingered and of around the Higher-Intermediate standard.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
3 LIEDER OHNE WORTE for solo guitar
by Felix Mendelssohn (arr. Dusan Bogdanovic)
Piano music on the guitar is frequently a no-go area unless the music is not too pianistic, or in other words it doesn’t possess broad sweeps up and down the fingerboard; as in many romantic works for example. Other musical periods such as baroque can work on the guitar but much romantic stuff is a complete nonstarter.
The fact that Dusan Bogdanovic has done the arranging means that is certainly playable for he would never put his name to anything that didn’t look and sound absolutely kosher but it doesn’t make the playing of it in any sense easy.
The first of the three, Op. 19 No.6, is one of the Venetian Gondolier’s Songs and is an Andante sostenuto 6/8 set here in E minor. There are quite a few areas here that do feel guitaristic and a greater portion of it works finer although there are a number of places where you have to, for instance, create the illusion of everything being held on (as it would be on the piano) whereas you are actually letting your fingers up much earlier for technical reasons. Nevertheless it is a nice arrangement in many respects.
The second one, Op. 38 No.4, begins and ends with a pianistic flourish that would be pedalled on the piano making it legato, whilst here on the guitar it’s simply an impossibility to make it all ring on together. The main meat of the piece is a chordal idea that sounds rather regal and is nearly all in four voices. Although it worked ok, I thought that the written instruction to sound the open D through the other three voices as in bars 6 and 7 a little optimistic.
The final work is the much later Op. 102 No.4 and has a constant thread of semiquavers from beginning to end. Then add to this a melody usually written above and you find a piece that struggles in its effort to be legato. Granted the piece is marked “un poco agitato” and this helps when the arpeggiated chords have to be accommodated in uncomfortable areas. Nevertheless this is also a melodic and interesting piece that does work, just.
So if your technique is up to it, these very pleasant and interesting examples of Mendelssohn’s romantic style might suit you admirably. They are definitely not for the lesser players though.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
SIX CHILDREN’S PIECES for solo guitar
by Dusan Bogdanovic
The problem with any musical publication with the words “Children’s Pieces” contained in the main title is that one instantly associates these particular works as being perhaps of a trifling and/or infantile nature and conceivably anyone of teenage year and above may pass over this type of collection. This would be a pity in this case as the majority of this brief compilation from the Serbian-born guitarist Dusan Bogdanovic is fun to play, imaginative and useful to develop various guitar techniques.
By far the best one is the opening The Old Car with its stop start engine and honking horn. Elsewhere there is an attractive, melancholy waltz; a ploddy, “grotesque” work illustrating a bear; a scurrying squirrel; a formally composed piece in two-voices, and an amusing march.
The artistic side of Bogdanovic is also shown in the small, amusing illustrations, which adorn each page drawn by the man himself.
The collection, which is very well presented, would be suitable for the player of any age around the grade 3-4 standard.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
FOUR MACEDONIAN PIECES for flute and guitar
by Miroslav Tadic
Within these four pieces based on traditional Macedonian folk themes, Serbian guitarist/composer Miroslav Tadic has brought to fruition his fascination with the traditional music of this area, a former republic of Yugoslavia.
Contained in the four pieces are two folk songs and two dances. Zajdi, which opens the set is apparently based upon one of the most popular of Macedonian folk songs and is a poignant, evocative work in which the original words speak of the passing of time and imminent old age. In this piece, the guitarist is invited to make free variations and improvise upon a number of chord shapes given in the score.
By contrast, Pajdushka is an exciting fast dance in 5-time, divided as 2+3 throughout. This is followed by probably the most melodically attractive of the four: Jovka Kumanovka is a work based upon a song from the Kumanovo region of Macedonia and is reflective and melancholy and has the characteristic rhythm of 7/8 divided up as 3+2+2. Finally comes Gajdarsko Oro (Bagpiper’s Dance), a very energetic and festive work in which Tadic has included musical influences from Africa and Spain.
The set is well presented with clearly printed score and separate parts for both players. The tech- . nical difficulties are great and these four pieces are really only in the domain of the advanced duo. The whole set is dedicated to the Cavatina Duo (Denis Azabagic and Eugenia Moliner) who have recorded this work on their “Balkan Project” CD.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
LAMENTS, DANCES AND LULLABIES volume 1 for guitar solo
by Miroslav Tadic
In 1997, the editors of Guitar Player magazine voted the Serbian guitartst/composer Miroslav Tadic one of the world’s 30 most radical and individual guitarists. His formal training as a musician included a wide variety of styles including baroque, classical, blues, jazz and rock. In recent years he seems to have developed his own voice and uses musical material drawn from a great variety of sources including Indian and Eastern European folk music and blends these traditional tunes together with original and often improvisatory material.
The three pieces contained in this first volume of laments, dances and lullabies begin with Rustemul, a typical dance of south-western Romania. This is a cheerful and buoyant rustic-styled dance in compound-duple time and in order to capture this rustic quality Tadic suggests that the precision of 6/8 be abandoned in favour of a more “earthy” approach, a characteristic interpretation which would probably come more natural to Tadic than most.
The composition Macedonian Girl is built around the celebrated (in Macedonia) piece Makedonska Devojce composed by one Jonce Hristovski in 1964 and a work which became his biggest success. Listening to the original tune from one of many versions on You Tube, it is easy to see the attraction of this very beautiful and evocative piece of music and Tadic’s composition based upon this tune works extremely well in this setting.
The trio concludes with a stunning blockbuster of a piece with Walk Dance, . a high-octane, extremely animated composition based upon a traditional Macedonian dance which translates out as Coppersmith’s Dance, stylistically, the beginning reminds one of the splendid Jose Gonzalez cover of The Knife’s composition Heartbeats, which was used in a commercial for Sony several years ago. If you can remember that piece, then imagine it accelerated to a very high degree, you’ll get the picture. The incessant beat in 11/8 time of 2+2+3+2+2 drives this music ever onward; the work is hypnotic, exciting, invigorating and leaves one breathless at the end of it. A staggering new piece, which would be a hard act to follow in any recital and a work, incidentally which is dedicated to Scott Tenant who apparently persuaded Miroslav Tadic to write it down.
An excellent set of high-grade concert pieces.
Highly recommended.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
PURE LAND for voice, flute and guitar
by Dusan Bogdanovic
Written for the rare combination of voice, flute and guitar, Pure Land is a suite of pieces totaling seven movements. Five of the movements have titles and are based upon the contemporary poetry of Patricia Capetola.
The poetry is sung rather than spoken but the melodic lines the narrator is given to sing the words to are easily forgettable; the words however leave a much more lasting impression and this is one of the strengths of this composition.
There are two musical interludes during this set featuring just the flute and guitar in “dialogue-style” passages and, as is the fashion throughout most of this Suite, the two instruments are, rhythmically, often at odds with one another creating some exciting polyrhythmic passages underscoring the often docile pattern of the sung poetry.
This is a clever and attractive addition to the contemporary guitar ensemble repertoire and one which could easily be one of the outstanding items in any programme.
The edition comes with full score and separate parts for flute and guitar, the poetry being easily readable from the score. Technically all three participants would need to be of a high standard.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
MANUEL DE FALLA arranged for two guitars
arr. Duo Gruber-Maklar
Anyone who has experienced a concert or recording by the Gruber-Maklar Duo (Christian Gruber and Peter Maklar) will know the expertise they instill into their performances, a skill they also use to high degree in their arrangements of music for two guitars. Founded in 1985 this pair have become one of the leading international guitar duos for over 20 years and, after a quick glance at their web-site, it appears that through these publishers, some of the standards which the duo have arranged for their performances over this time are now at last to be available. These include works by Scarlatti, Albeniz, Granados and Falla.
The three pieces in this edition are favourites with many guitar duos, and have been heard many times in various settings but probably none better than these presented here. The book opens with the attention-grabbing Danza del Molinero, followed by the eerily evocative and beautiful El Circulo Magico and concludes with the frenetic Danza Ritual del Fuego, all three, performed in this order, making an ideal item for recitals/recordings by any advanced guitar duo.
In these arrangements the parts are shared on an, equal level with both players getting their fair share of accompaniment and melodic line. The separate parts for each player are sensibly fingered and are well laid out with just one awkward unavoidable page turn in Guitar 1 but at this level, most duos will probably opt for memorising the pieces anyway.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
SONATA ITALIANA for solo guitar
by Ernesto Cordero
Puerto Rican guitarist/composer Ernesto Cordero has written a wealth of guitar music including works for one, two and four guitars, and other compositions pairing up the guitar with voice, flute, cello and percussion, plus four guitar concertos.
Written in 1972, Sonata Iialiana is one of his earlier guitar works being preceded only by two pieces he composed whilst at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid. These were later included in his Cinco Preludios which appeared in the late 1970s and were re-issued in 2001 under the new title of Preludios Primaverales.
The lasting impression of this sonata is one of optimism. The outer movements are vivacious, jubilant, humorous. and very rhythmic, (the third one seemingly paying a brief acknowledgment to Rodrigo here and there) and both containing a brief change of pace and mood part-way through.
The beautiful middle movement, an Andante Meditativo, written in D major, as opposed to the other two movements in A major, contains some of the best writing of the entire work. There are some lush harmonies underpinning fine melody lines and a couple of excursions into different rhythmic areas.
The work is nicely presented, with clear printing, good fingering, and ideally would be most suited to the higher grade player.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
SONATA LONTANA for solo guitar
by Ernesto Cordero
Like the same composer’s Sonata Italiana, Sonata Lontana was also another early work by Cordero. It was composed in the same year, 1972, and makes this particular year, with regard to solo guitar music, a productive one for Cordero. Work was begun on his Diez Piezas de Juventud, and the Preludios Primavera (otherwise known as Cinco Preludios), begun in 1967 were still in the process of being finalised. There was also an isolated composition titled Proteus.
Sonata Lantana was written as a homage to Domenico Scarlatti and there are inferences as to the Baroque composer’s style, probably the most notable being a strong pulsating bass line through the first movement. The third movement is in the style of a Rondo and features the most varied writing with several changes of mood and tempo.
As good and as entertaining as the outer movements are in this Sonata, I did find myself drawn once again (this happened in the aforementioned Sonata Italiana) to the middle movement, an Adagio. The more sombre aspects of this short piece, emphasised by the slight dissonances in the chords and arpeggio “variations” which work particularly well on guitar; and the actual chord sequence itself lifts this piece onto a higher plain than its surrounding bedfellows. This Adagio may or may not have been influenced by the Rodrigo Passcaglia but there are Similarities.
Sonata Lantana would make a super inclusion in any formal recital or recorded programme. It is a highly polished, melodic composition which holds the interest throughout. Technically it is only suitable for the higher grade guitarist, say of around Grade 7.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
SIX PIÈCES ENFANTINES for solo guitar
by Dusan Bogdanovic
Composer Bogdanovic needs no introduction to most Soundboard readers. His body of work is well-known and recognized. These are a set of six one-page pieces specifically penned for children, written in 1977 but unpublished until 2010. There is more than a slight Balkian flavor to these works. The titles are descriptive: The Old Car, Waltz for a Sad Cloud, The Bear, The Squirrel The Town Square, and March of the Lilliputians. Nowadays, this last one might need some explanation, as I am not sure Jonathan Swift is still on most school reading lists. None of the pieces goes beyond the sixth fret (high Bb), and there are very few barrés or slurs required.
David Norton (Soundboard Magazine)
TROIS BRESILIENS A SAINT-PAUL for 5 guitars
by Sergio Assad
Le Naif opens gently with a single bar phrase echoed across the forces, but this is confident and adventurous writing that is strong rhythmically as well as harmonically, and the piece moves from A minor to conclude in Ab major. On the way, there are some glorious contrasts, with a particularly lovely, gentle set of airy chords set over a quiet but Latin bass.
La Joyeuse begins with a sequence midway between drum roll and fanfare in 4/4 time, but again confident writing brings in a mix of 2/4 and 3/8; 7/8 if you will. The rhythmic motif that opened the piece punctuates the writing before it explodes into six sharps. Towards the end of the movement, there is a drum-snare effect and percussion - Joy indeed!
Le Rêveur, marked Rubato espressivo is exactly that. Something about the pace and pulse reminded me of Satie, but this is very different, and includes some aggressive interludes and the full use of the pitch range of the guitar.
Rencontre en Tricastin opens in 3/4, but the syncopated writing across the parts imparts a 3/4 6/8 feel, and there are some rhythmic challenges in the “four in the time of three” writing. The ending is dramatic and enjoyable.
The setting is for “four guitars and a contra” or “5 guitars”, and there are solo and tutti markings to suit a larger ensemble. Although much of the writing is Grade 7-8 standard, the rhythm and mood changes would suggest that a more advanced group would shape the pieces better. Typesetting is a model of clarity, and page turns are carefully chosen. Fingering and dynamic markings are clear and helpful.
As a reviewer, I always play what I review, and ensemble music usually sees me setting my computer to play a section with me. I’m firmly of the opinion that this music, played live, will have a whole extra dimension over and above what I’ve already enjoyed, and I’m keen to hear this in concert - come and join me!
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)
