Elegance & Suspensions (For Guitar Quartet) William Beauvais Les Productions d'Oz, 8 pp. plus parts The titles hint at what's to come in lovely and charming works Here are two very different pieces in one volume: "Elegance" in A major, in 4/4 time; and "Suspensions" in E major, in 6/8. And as is unfortunately common with this publisher, there are no explanatory notes at the front to explain what the pieces are about, and why they're combined in one volume. "Elegance"-just under one side of paper in the part scores-looks rather humble on the page, but there are some delightful sounds here, primarily from Guitar One and Two shadowing each other a third, a sixth and a tenth apart. And unlike some quartets, it sounds spacious and airy, not at all cramped. Just 34 bars long, it lasts just over 90 seconds at the metronome speed indicated. There's an extended section of playing only on the offbeat for some of the forces, and it will be interesting to see how players of modest skill will take to that challenge. Cl could be pedantic and say that when Fs are sharp, I'd prefer E# to F natural so that the pitch of the chromatic phrases is more visible. But it's a minor gripe in a small but lovely piece.) "Suspensions" is a little tougher rhythmically. Guitars One and Two have the first and fourth quaver, absent (strictly speaking it's tied to the previous quaver), and on the very few occasions they don't, Guitar Three is suspending its flow. At the opening, 90 Summer 2015 then, Guitar Three is silent, Guitar Four plays quavers one and four, and the tune is on quavers two, three, five and six. So, the parts have to stay in step while never playing together. It reminds me of a table-tennis match where if something goes awry, one player disappears off into the distance. Keeping both lines tight will be a little bit of a challenge. But it's a charming little piece. Collectively, I surmise Grade 3 players will be able to do them justice. There is no fingering, and there are no dynamics; nothing that a pencil couldn't fix. I think the music does the titles justice. -D.H.
