Alfonso Montes
Doberman – Yppan: 8 pages
Alfonso Montes is Venezuelan born, and as a result his music often reflects that culture. Azul is a trio of love poems that are melodic, not too difficult, and pleasant to work on.
Azul Romantico is set in two main voices with a melody set in E atop some long – spread arpeggio patterns. After a few bars the speed increases a little for a new idea in G, before a further new idea based on repeated chords takes over I G, before moving gradually back into E where after a couple of bars of a varied version of the opening introduction lead back into the main theme once more.
Azul Triste is again in E, a little faster than the first movement, and one which again moves around an arpeggio idea that changes slightly as it goes on. There are one or two wide stretches that will worry smaller hands, but otherwise nothing is too tricky.
The final Navidad Azul is set in C, and the main theme for 36 bars, has a constant melody in artificial harmonics over an arpeggio that sticks to the same pattern throughout before finally changing towards the end, making a brief climax and closing on a C Major 7 chord.
I have only great respect for Alfonso Montes, who is an important and integral part of the classical guitar today, and while these 3 pieces were nice, pleasant and melodic, I don’t find them as rivetingly individual as a lot of his other works .Nevertheless any lover of melodic, tuneful, and warmly written works will no doubt get much from this little set.
Chris Dumigan
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