Quatuor opus 2, no 2

This tome-like volume takes welcome time to explain that this piece (for string quartet) has been moved down a tone and some octave shifts made to help this piece succeed on guitar.
The Allegro sits nicely under the fingers, but l can imagine one or two guitar ensembles voting to dispense with some of the ornarnentation, which is so quick that a guitar might not pull it off - l just have this feeling that it might be a bit like applying filigree icing with a mastic gun. That apart, there are clear articulations and the mix of ligados and staccato notes will really lift the otherwise samey quavers.
The Minuet and Trio is gloriously straightforward, save for a little run, shared between guitars one and two that will leave novice players dreading it as it moves closer and closer.
The Adagio is where us guitarists choke a bit, because we're just not farniliar with notes as short as used here. Personally l'd have moved it to 4/2 time because the notation looks a factor of three easier that way; after all the audience would never know. This movement has technical difficulties to contend with as well extensive runs and fast passages up to fret 15 that will be hard to achieve effectively against a gentle, slow accompaniment. Get your breath back and you're staring down the barrel of a cadenza, but this actually sits rather nicely on guitar, thanks to the efforts of our arranger. Later in the same movement, Mr Kindle has provided a second one for those who like even more ink on the page or who like staring down a double-barrelled cadenza. But once again, the guitar does part of the work and the use of arpeggios helps create a lot more sound and sustain than fast scale passages would.
A second Minuet is nothing less than fun to play - the staccato and ligado mix again making a lovely texture.
The Finale comes with no indication of speed, but only guitar one is under any stress here.
If you know your Haydn, you'll enjoy this. ln terms of ability, it requires a certain maturity to pull it off, but guitar one definitely has the lion's share of the work. A teacher and three intermediate pupils could make a good go at this, but it would be the teacher that was in the limelight, which is not perhaps how it should be. Or a mixed ability group would find this pleasing for all.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)