Three “Miles” Sketches

The hardest thing about this latest piece by Iannarelli is the scordatura of the last two strings, namely 5th to Ab and 6th to F but once you have mastered that the going gets easier. The Miles is of course Miles Davis. It begins with an opening Preludio with multiple changes in metre and some mysterious and haunting harmonie work that really sets the scene beautifully. There are sudden outbursts of almost temper here intermingled with what one could almost describe as devastation contrasting with it. After a solo line rallentando, comes Sketch I a Presto in semiquavers unremitting in its onslaught. Only at the coda do you finally find quavers and longer note values. Then an Andante largo interludio in largely three rather chromatically harmonised voices takes over the reins, rocking gently in 3/4 until Sketch II marked as rapidly as possible sends the difficulty factor up a few notches. Again everything flies around in sixteenths, and often septuplet ones at that! Fortissimo rasgueados interspersed with rapid single note figuration herald in the climactic moment before a Moderato cantabile reduces the stress factor down again to die away at the end. Interludio II is similar in style and content to the first one and after a brief moment leads into Sketch III which is freer in rhythm than the previous two but still at Allegro vivo, no easy ride technically speaking. Quite extended it leads to a Prestissimo coda before a final Postludio marked Adagio with swing brings the work to a convincing conclusion.
Technically this is not for any players less than intermediate to advanced but is musically very interestingly harmonised. Nevertheless this piece is nothing less than utterly absorbing throughout. Just be ready technically for its difficulties and you'll be fine.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)