Historiettes

Seven-short pieces for the early stages student here. The first is a gentle waltz-like “ancient song” in A minor with a modal feel; its melody in first position with punctuating open bass strings, falling nicely into the category of Initial grade standard. The second piece is more challenging in its technical requirements with the melodic interest in the bass accompanied by the treble strings. It requires sensitive phrasing to capture the reflective quality created by the marked ritenutos. The third piece again has the melody in the bass, this time punctuated by two note chords on the treble strings - this is a useful exercise for holding the left fingers in place to produce overlapping voices. The characterful fourth piece is in a bright folk-like style in 6/8 with minimal left hand requirements. The fifth piece is an exercise in staccato; the dialogue between the bass line and the chords on the treble strings with spiky accidentals create a useful study in articulation, but it did not appeal to me musically. The sixth piece, Like a Malaguena alternates thumb and fingers, and the effective last piece, marked “Freely, as on an Oud” does the same, its exotic modal melody alternating with the open first string. Presentation is excellent and fingering is minimal. Nothing moves out of first position here - Eric Marchelie has created some effective and characterful pieces with specific technical requirements. Suitable for players up to grade two level.

Linda Kelsall-Barnett (Classical Guitar Magazine)

This is a collection of seven colorful pieces in first position. As the title suggests, each brief melodic song tells its own story with a distinctly different character. The pieces seem to be ordered by increasing difficulty, with the first consisting of a single-note melody in the key of A minor with use of many open strings. The first four, with challenges that include two-note chords, simple slurs, and melodic bass lines, are well-suited for a beginner guitarist. The fifth piece is a useful exercise on staccato chords, and the six and seventh pieces are written in a Spanish style with sixteenth-notes that alternate bass notes that build E major or minor chords with open first-string Es, similar to the style of malagueña. Sharps are left out of the key signatures, even though the accidentals create the keys of G major, A major, and E major and minor. This is a fun, lively collection of playable and enjoyable melodic songs for guitar students.

Amy Hite (Soundboard Magazine)