Galina Gorelova
Bergmann Edition : 13 pages
Here are a set of five contrasting movements based on motifs from the Bible and telling them in a musical form. The suite was originally written in 2016 and then revised and edited by guitarist Pavel Kukhta in 2019, which is the edition you find here.
An Angel Standing in the Sun based on an idea from The Book of Revelation begins with a set of strongly felt chords that immediately catch your attention and lead into a two voiced idea with a melody based somewhat on the whole tone scale. This quickly leads into an Agitato idea based on some off- beat harmonic crunches , a run up the fingerboard, and another strong set of chords that finally return to a variant of the opening feel and the whole tone scales, ending with a harmonic ‘ping’ on top E.
Hagar’s Lament has an ostinato idea as its basis and is interwoven with sounds intending to create Hagar’s complaints, sighs and cries. This is achieved by the ostinato continuing but with harmonics entering above, and odd bass notes, entering below but in an unusual pattern that gives this movement a very emotive edge.
Dance of The Copper Serpent, a 120 beats a minute Con Fuoco begins with thrashing rasgueado chords and several angular motifs that show you that this dance isn’t meant to be joyful by any stretch .Semi and demi – semi –quavers abound throughout this short but eventful movement that is highly dissonant and one of the most difficult pieces in the suite.
Ballad of Lot’s Wife has dropped 6th to D and dropped 5th to G and is a one page emotional idea with a flowing melody and tragic harmonies throughout.
The final Butterfly over The Isles of the Blessed with just a dropped D 6th is a joyful conclusion to the suite, that begins with leggiero quaver triplets that climb gradually up into the sky , and after a brief pause a calm , slower three – voiced melody ensues. The opening triplets then return and the whole work closes on a calm and friendly coda based on an altered D major chord.
This is a substantial piece of writing with a large variety of sounds, techniques and musical styles that is, at its easiest intermediate, but at times becomes almost advanced. However it is a gripping piece of writing that merits interested guitarists giving it a try. It is definitely worth it!
Chris Dumigan
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