Five Little Souvenirs

This edition was commissioned by Loudoun County Public Schools for the 2008 Middle School All-County Guitar Festival, something that instantly drew me into the work to find out more. The writing is predominantly single line, and chords, where written, are three notes and comfortable under the fingers. Guitar Four plays with 6=D and the writing is ostensibly pitched like a choir, so that Guitar One is always the tune and Guitar Four the bass. The overall standard is probably Grade 6, but the interplay between the parts will call for players with rhythmical maturity and a little spare capacity in reserve compared to a solo of similar complexity. It is important that the rhythm is tight and free from technical rubato.
Paris, a prelude, is in 7/4 but notated 4/4+3/4, and has a lilting dreamy feel to it, with gentle dissonances and major sevenths acting like musical syrup and keeping the pace relaxed. A lovely piece of writing. Lipica, a folksong, has a polka-like rhythm, and the structure is pleasing and obviously carefully thought out.
Mayaguez, a dance, also begins with dissonance, but it's effective and exciting, and the mix of melody on and off the beat is set nicely against a very forthright bass line that underpins the piece. There are some lovely waterfall sequences in two lines that are set in parallel octaves to enhance the effect, and some of the more static rhythm sees the inner parts moving in pitch to create the illusion of more going on than is actually happening - neat writing.
Venezia, a largo, sees a gentle melody over slow chords. Perhaps I have suffered in the past with close harmonies played badly on poor guitars, where the whole soundscape blurs into a mush. Bell-like clarity here would certainly contain the dissonance - harmonically rich notes will have overtones that interfere with notes in a different register. So with good tone, this might be delightful.
Pasades, a galope, is technically straightforward but rhythmically demanding, requiring the ensemble to play extensively three against two - not too bad with two parts, but harder with four to get the precision needed. The reward, if it can be done, is some great rhythm patterns set over a deep moving bass. Mozart it isn't but if dissonance in your music piques your ears like chillies in your stew pique your taste buds, this is a hot one!
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)