Celil Refik Kaya
Les Productions D’Oz: Score and separate parts ( 8, 5, and 5 pages respectively )
This Turkish born composer/performer always manages to write interesting music and this latest work is certainly no exception.
The Prelude begins in 12/8 with both parts generally running around in quavers for most of the time. The music is always very tonal, but the chord progressions that he uses are often highly unexpected. For example the piece begins in Em, which it does stay in largely for 20 odd bars, until after an Em chord, the next bar starts with a Bb7, and then a Bbm6, followed by an Fm, a Db, an Ab , and then suddenly an F#m that leads back into an E , albeit a major chord this time. This gives the piece a very unusual and surprising sound that really catches the players out. The middle section momentarily changes time to 4/4, then 2/4 , and 3/ 4 , before reverting back to 12/8 for the final section and coda, and all this at a speed of 140 dotted crotchets a minute!
The Fugue that follows is every bit as unusual as its Prelude. It begins in Em again, this time in a steady 60 crotchets a minute but again the writing again moves into flat key territory with both guitars having, often, two voices to play each, and usually all over the fingerboard too, making it not an easy piece at all. Again the flat key elements finally return to the sharp keys for a varied return of the opening ideas, and a very definite and confident coda in Em
Again, this composer manages to surprise the player with his unusual way at looking at tonality, but then again that is what makes his music so different. This is a serious and tricky piece to play, but one which should be taken up by any decent duo.
Chris Dumigan
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