Transcribed and fingered by Marc Bataini
Les Productions D’Oz: Score and separate parts (24, 14 and 18 pages respectively)
These five sonatas were originally written for keyboard, by composers who you may not have come across before. This of course does make the whole project fascinating.
The first piece is Sonata in Em (originally in Cm) by De Cantallos, about whom almost nothing is known except that he was born sometime around 1785. The Allegro 6/8 movement (it is in one movement, similar to Scarlatti, as indeed they all are)is an interesting fast moving piece where both guitarists get the chance to play the melody line and where at times, both players have to play two voices each. However nothing is too difficult, , even though the piece temporarily moves into Fm, before returning to Em for the close. This is a clever and involving little piece.
The Sonata in A ( originally F) by Padre Vicente Rodriguez ( born around 1685,in Castelltersol), is in 3 /4, and is an Allegro that again has lots to recommend it, as it is full of lovely ideas, and like Scarlatti, is in two parts both of which are to be repeated. Again this is of moderate difficulty only.
Padre Jose Galles, who left a volume of 23 sonatas, is here represented firstly by his Sonata in Am, originally Fm, and which is in 3/8, but has one part usually in semi – quavers whilst the other player has longer note values, and where the two parts constantly are swapping over to give both performers all the interesting parts. This is a beautiful piece, which deserves to be heard. He is further represented by the Sonata in E (originally C) again in 3/8 but this time a slower Andantino Mosso, with some very florid passages in demi – semi quavers that tend to go throughout the entire piece in one part or another.
The final piece is a Rondo in D (originally in Bb) by one Padre Felipe Redriguez (spelt thus, and a different composer entirely from the previous Padre Vicente Rodriguez) This piece is in a dropped D 6th, and its Allegretto Giocoso at 162 crotchets a minute really proves to be a worthwhile closer to this book. It is an optimistic work with some lovely musical touches, and which guitarists would love to play
All these works are really worth getting to know, and are not too difficult, so a moderately decent duo would get a lot of pleasure from it pages.
Chris Dumigan
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