Cinq Phonies

Violon, guitar and piano

I love the title, very clever! This work with its most unusual yet quite natural combination of instruments by the Canadian guitarist and composer Denis Poliquin, is conceived in five movements The writing has charm and great character. Interestingly, the parts, individually though lucidly written, give nothing away as to the effect of the whole. The five movements show totally differing moods, the guitar pointing to and underlining these changes in mood
This piece is very capable of doing a public relations job on behalf of the guitar, as the instrument is seen, not only by audiences but by the other instrumentalists and to be quite capable of holding its own on a musical level. And, at the end of the day, that's the level that counts.
It is good to see a guitarist writing for. the instrument in such a way, as to give it total equality with its partners.
(John Arran, Classical Guitar, 11/2000)