Mercure

https://open.spotify.com/album/2uAxbNxM4LOVAf9FF76bhP?si=1bpsRIEfRWmU0CP_Z01dDg

This tiny piece is marked prestissimo, so you know you are in for a really tough ride, technically speaking, especially when you try to negotiate the multiple hammer-ons and pull-offs that are an integral part of the main idea.
Interestingly the directions underneath the score say tasto to ponticello ad-lib and cresc. to dim. ad lib, leaving quite a lot to the performer right from the outset, especially as you are instructed to play the first ten bars for about ten seconds each. After that several of the bars are repeated four times making this opening idea very hard on the brain and fingers (well, mine at least!) Then about half way through one has to play a visually alarming top line on imaginary frets between the sound hole and the bridge, whilst hammering on with the left hand only a lower harmony line, before then pulling the note off to an open string. A brief return to the opening idea only brings yet another excursion into the imaginary frets area, before one leaves the accompanying lower harmony line behind, and the player is instructed to continue on the imaginary frets, flying around for 20 seconds before disappearing into thin air on a diminuendo to silence.
This was yet another interesting excursion into the enjoyably exotic. The six pieces l received for review (out of the full total of nine) all proved well worth playing and one hopes that someone somewhere will take them up as a set. l look forward to their recording soon!
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)