Ernesto Cordero
Doberman – Yppan : 10 pages
This justly respected composer has written many wonderful works, often inciting the Caribbean flavour. Having written 9 concerti for guitar and orchestra and goodness only knows how many solo works, he is a master of his art, and every new piece is a joy to see.
This latest trilogy of little pieces begins with a Fantasia Caribena that starts with groups of semi-quaver arpeggios in groups of four, before then turning into groups of three notes and a chord as the fourth semiquaver, leading via a crescendo to a long held chord, and then into the movement proper, which has a gentle rocking pair of fourths over some warm and lush harmony work. The semi-quavers then return for another gallop round the strings, with the warm harmonies of multiple fourths returning, often built around chords. A momentary Piu Lento then dives headlong into the coda with some elegant arpeggios, a run up the fingerboard, and a final warm close on an altered D Major chord.
The slow movement is La Aurora, and again the warm chordal bunches of fourths are in evidence for a great deal of the time, during the introduction. The main theme then enters over some delicate harmonies, and then is played via artificial harmonics. The middle section turns into the tonic minor for a brief moment before the opening theme with its artificial harmonics re-enters for a final time, leading to a relaxed coda.
The final Ecos is a gentle Moderato with a rocking pair of fourths idea that leads to a little run up and down the fingerboard and then to a friendly block chord melody over a ground bass. Everything is relaxed and warmly harmonised, and the whole piece closes on an altered D Major chord.
This is only intermediate in difficulty, and will be enjoyed by many performers and listeners alike, and is an engaging work to play.
Chris Dumigan
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