Dusan Bogdanovic
Doberman - Yppan: 24 pages
This latest work by this well – known Yugoslavian composer/performer is in seven movements and is quite an extensive piece. However when you go to the opening page of sheet music you find that apart from the 6 normal string tunings, there are 4 more needed here, a seventh tuned to B, and eighth tuned to A, a ninth tuned a C#, and a 10th tuned to a G a tone below the fifth string, which unfortunately is not mentioned on the cover of the book.
The opening movement is titled Prelude and Ricercar and starts with a Rubato Improv marking of 113 bars for the Prelude, with nearly every bar a different time signature, ands so we find 5/4, 2/4, 5/8, 4/4, 13/16, 9/8, 9/8, and finally 3 / 4, with only two consecutive bars (4, and 5) having the same time signature. As with much of Bogdanovic’s music it is littered with complex rhythms also. After this a Ritmico takes over and at that point the music divides into two staves as the Ricercar occurs. The harmonies are very modern and so this movement really needs very good players to do it justice.
Ricercar II is the second movement and although it stays on one stave it has many of the characteristics of the opening movement, multiple time signatures, complex rhythms and extremely modern harmonies.
The third movement Kora Dreams, requires the 9th string C# to be moved up to a D, where the description Improv, is the opening few bars, followed by a number of speed changes thereafter, and then a two stave passage beginning on bar 23, which continues through to the end at bar 64.
Bibayak Interlude is a less complex one – pager mostly in two voices, whilst the following Dance I is a fast 12/16 piece, again mostly in two voices but moving all over the guitar, making it quite a handful.
Bibayak Interlude II is another short, less complex movement with the 6th string needed to be moved to D this time, and is a Moderato 12/8, and is again followed (like its predecessor) by a Dance, this time Dance II, still with 6 tuned to D. This final movement has , like the previous movements , a lot of the characteristics you are already used to, and finishes on an arpeggiated D chord, finishing on an F# that you are required to bend to a G , and then return to an F#.
It goes without saying that this work is extremely tricky, and really needs excellent players to even consider playing it,, but also they must have a 10 – string , first and foremost.
Chris Dumigan
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