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Sad Song
Baluchestan Dance
Ewe
Gander en he Pratie
Love to be
Muko
Rachel
Composer: BOGDANOVIC Dusan
DO 830
Intermediate
ISBN: 978-2-89503-605-0
2 guitars
52 p.
BOGDANOVIC: Look at the Big Birds
World Music for Young Guitarists
Carmen Alvarez, Francisco Bernier,
Contrastes 1201403
What a delight! I’ve never encountered anything quite like this, and I welcome it. This is a set of works for student guitarists—or, more accurately, for teachers to perform with their students, so one part may be more demanding than the other. The music, all arranged by Dusan Bogdanovic, takes its sources from, well, everything. It opens with Ein Feste Burg, followed by an Azerbaijani folk song, then Korea, then Danemark, then Hawaii, Greece, Indonesia, Namibia, Ireland, Ecuador—you name it. 28 pieces in all, each more charming than all the others, none longer than a couple of minutes. He even includes the Epitaph of Seikilos from Ancient Greece; perhaps the world’s oldest preserved song. Performing demands are modest, but one still must work with asymmetrical rhythms, harmonics, tonal effects, percussion effects in the African pieces, and slide for the Hawaiian.
Bogdanovic is well known to guitarists, as a performer and as a composer whose work is strongly influenced by his Balkan roots. Here he goes beyond that to the whole world. Teachers with any sense of adventure will welcome this. I won’t even complain about the brief total time--there is just as much as needed and another different piece would break the spell. Francisco Bernier was reviewed under Abril earlier in this issue, and with his partner Carmen Alvarez performs with sparkle and joy (they are also president and managing director of this Contrastes label, which they co-founded).
Earlier this season I reviewed a wonderful recital by Thomas Hampson. He often performs songs from a wide variety of sources, and his philosophy is a simple one. “If we all knew each other’s songs, we’d be less likely to shoot at each other.” May Mr. Bogdanovic’s project bring that goal closer.
Keaton
American Record Guide, September/October 2015
1. A Mighty Fortress – Germany
2. A Sad Song – Azerbaijan
3. Anna Loved One by One... – Danemark
4. Arirang – Korea
5. Balinese Dance – Indonesia (Bali)
6. Baluchestan Dance – Iran
7. Epitaph to Seikilos – Greece
8. Ewe Songdance – Ghana
9. Farewell to You – Hawaii, USA
10. Fish Faronika – Slovenia
11. For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow – English
12. Gander in the Pratie Hole – Ireland
13. I’d Love to be a Farmer – Macedonia
14. I’m a Happy Swiss boy – Switzerland
15. In the Summertime – Russia
16. Little Monk – China
17. Look at the Big Birds! – Namibia
18. Mountain Harp – Ecuador
19. Mukô Yokochô – Japan
20. Navajo Song – Navajo, USA
21. Next to my Blonde – France
22. Old Folks at Home – USA
23. Rachel – Sepharad, Israel
24. Šano, Sweetheart – Serbia
25. Spring Song – Poland
26. Two Guys from Brac – Dalmatia, Croatia
27. Vaju me ‘nzuru – Italy (Calabria)
28. When I Went to Bembasa – Bosnia
"Although Haydn's transparent classical style has always appeared well-suited to guitar transcription/arrangement, examples have never been com-mon. Itself a setting of the Divertimento in C (Hob. I1/11), this modestly proportioned keyboard sonata proves the idea to be a good one. Adopting the key of D major, Bogdanovic offers a practical working arrangement with detailed but not excessive left-hand fingerings and several clues as to the realisation of the ornaments. Anyone requiring further guidance will find loads of piano footage on YouTube, the first I clicked on confirming that the trills starting at bar 22 of the opening Allegro needn't be executed as anything more fiddly than upper mordents. As is almost always the case, the technical bar is raised considerably in transit, the scale flourishes in the final Air and Variations ensuring that an intermediate keyboard work becomes the exclusive province of the fully-fledged gultarist. An inspired idea that's well worth exploring."
Paul Fowles (Classical Guitar Magazine)