The Myth of the Fomorians (CD incl.)

Please note that audio files from the CD are not included in the PDF format purchase option. The discount has been adjusted accordingly.

The Fomorians were a mythological race purported to have inhabited Ireland in ancient times and to have invaded Spain at one time. So the piece has been written on the premise of what would Irish music sound like if it had had a strong Moorish or Spanish influence?
The first movement «The Dance of the Ciocal« is based around a gig-like rhythm with a distinctly MooIish tune atop it. So in the home key of D (with a dropped D 6th) there are plenty of Eb, Ab and Bb notes around and it whizzes amiably enough until it pauses on an indecisive chord. The second and final movement «Oleanthur Ri« is made up of two parts; the first of which is a slow free exotic melody line over a droning G/D bass idea. This quickly gives way to a Misterioso y Ritmico 8/8 idea again based around G but with some oddly grouped rhythms above that might initially give you the odd reading problem. The longest movement by far, this gradually gains momentum until the extended coda replete with multiple rasgueados reaches a considerable climax, after which it winds down bit by bit and ends on long chords with the last one deliberately enigmatic.
This quite extended piece was fun to play and is especially in the final section bordeling on difficult, so only players completely happy with extended strumming rasgueados will be able to cope with this final section. Having said that I enjoyed the piece; A case of Moorish but not more-ish if you get my meaning.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)