Franz Schubert arr. Johan Smith
Les Productions D’Oz : 11 pages
This very famous song of Schubert’s is not the most obvious choice for a guitar arrangement , one might think , but believe me when I say that this one by Johan Smith is a fabulous version of that song, and if you want to hear the master performing it , go and look at the YouTube recording by Johan Smith.
However there is one caveat! This is an extremely advanced piece, and anyone who does not have a wonderful technique, will really struggle, as the arranger really does take the Presto Agitato speed marking at its true speed!
Set in G minor in 4/4 but written with an accompaniment of almost constant triplet quavers it start as it means to go on, in other words a real handful from the very outset. The melody comes straight in below the triplets and swiftly becomes a three, and sometimes four – voiced affair with the result that your fingers are instructed to go everywhere over the fingerboard at breakneck speed, with no let – up in the rhythms.
Towards the last half of the piece, it evolves into the major key before the Gm opening section returns for one last time, leading to the coda that momentarily slow down, before the last two Andante fortissimo chords.
As I said this is absolutely wonderful as an arrangement and it works fabulously well, but it is only for the very skilled players amongst you!
Chris Dumigan
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