Pentagone - Tangente

Tangente is the fourth piece from Leclercq's Pentagone set of guitar duets and this one is dedicated to duo Ira and Cergei Kordenko. While presented as a singIe movement composition it falls into four sections, starting with the guitar parts moving in opposite directions, in 5/8 time and with use of glissandi either ascending or descending, to highIight the melodic direction. There isn't a clear tonal centre to the music; the interest at the outset is the opposing movement between the instrurnents, and a small percussive element is introduced. There follows a more melodic espressivo section, again with parts moving in contrary motion. A molto ritmico section appears next, with the music becoming more fragmentary and percussive by the inclusion of staccato, and by striking the front of the guitar and also the strings behind the nut. The texture becomes slightly denser before a return to the opening idea and the piece finishes with two bars of percussion on a woodblock. An interesting and concise piece, very clearIy presented with score and parts, as always seems to be the case with this publisher.
(Lorraine Eastwood, Classical Guitar Magazine, June 2002)