Atanas Ourkouzounov
Dobeman – Yppan: 10 pages
This Bulgarian composer’s guitar music is very individual, and has its own sound world than does split the players into two camps, those that like it, and those that don’t. The reason I say this is because his harmonies are deliberately confrontational in the sense that he never misses the chance to put in a semi tonal clash or two, no matter what actual piece he is writing, and this latest book of six pieces is no exception.
Carillon Modal is in 7/8 in three main voices with some very unusual left hand positions needed to play it the way he requires. To give you an example of the harmonies he uses, the final chord is from bottom to top, an A, then a Bb, a G, then an Ab, an F, and a top B natural to close.
Intervalles flottants is a piece that does exactly what it says. Therefore the music begins with an open E and a fourth string D#, tied over whilst an open G and a 6th string F are added. The first pair then repeats whilst the second pair now becomes a low Ab and an open G. They then tie over whilst the initial pair now change to a C natural and a high C#, and so on. This is pretty much how the piece continues, with one clashing pair of notes battling with a second pair, and with every pair changing tofor a new four note discord.
Perpetuum Bulgaricus is a constant 11/8 of quavers at a very fast speed of 160 crotchets a minute hurtling around the fingerboard in a single line of notes, no chords, and no harmonies. This is quite long and very difficult to actually get under your fingers too!
Impasses Croisees has several differing time signatures in a two , and then three voiced piece marked Rubato , that again is highly unusual and puts fingers into places that they rarely go, for this is really different to anything you will have seen before.
Mecanisme Deregle is a Capriccioso 132 crotchets a minute piece, again in multiple time signatures and again dancing around the fingerboard in a most unexpected way with no bar free of lots of accidentals as it progresses.
The final one Couleur Insaisissable is set in 2/4 and every bar entirely made up of a quintuplet of quavers all marked l.v. sempre and all spread very imaginatively over the guitar. All the strings and fingerings are carefully marked and the whole set closes on a final open B. As usual, there are no key signatures, because this composer doesn’t write music in a set key at all, and it is this that will divide up the players amongst you. If you like your music tonal, no matter how modern it sounds, then this set is not for you. However if you like your music key – free, atonal, and going to places you have never dreamt of on the guitar, then this very advanced set of pieces might suit you admirably.
Chris Dumigan
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