Celil Refik Kaya
Les Productions D’Oz: 15 pages
This extensive piece by Turkish guitarist Celil Refik Kaya is theme, 7 variations and finale on a famous Turkish naval military folk song from the 1st World War (there is a considerable preface all about the melody and its background in the publication)
The theme which is very fast at a recommended 226 crotchets a minute is in 7/8 , and full of cross rhythms , making it very tricky for a while for players not used to these rare time signatures. It remains however in two voices throughout with repetition being one of its characteristics. The first variation now moves considerably in time values, using 7/8, 10/8, 9/8, 6/8 and 5/8 in its 17 bars, again still in two voices but now both voices moving around considerably and taking advantage of the almost constant change of metre, and beat. Variation 2 then changes completely to one almost entirely in semi – quavers in 2/4, whilst still retaining the two voices, whilst Variation 3 is completely chordal and considerably slower in a mixture of 9/8 and 5/8. By comparison the fourth variation is considerably simpler in design, retaining the two voices but in a style much more akin to the theme, which is followed by a variation 5, in 6/8 and 9/8 and is much more quaver driven. The following 6th Variation is full of Golpe and percussive effects whilst the final 7th variation really races along in mostly semi – quavers in 6/8 and 9/8, which then leads into the lengthy Finale that is very rhythmically driven , in a number of time signatures again, and almost consistently on the move before eventually calming down into what then finally becomes a return of the opening Theme but this time having a new close that accelerates to the end leading to a very climactic close.
This is an interesting piece that is far from easy and will need a good performer to do it full justice, but it does cover some areas that will be new to a lot of players, whilst always remaining musical and fun to get your fingers around.
Chris Dumigan
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