The story behind the music's conception is interestingly told in the little foreword and nicely sets the scene for what is to follow.
The melody in question opens the Elegy in a chromaticised version interspersed with bell-like motives. It is quite short and stops on an uncertain harmony note before the Fugue takes over. Here the subject is more remotely distant from the original melody. The constantly changing time signatures of 3/4, 4/4/ 6/8 and 5/8 create a certain tension which pervades the work up to the climactic augmentation of the main theme. After this the original theme, more simply harmonised, leads into a coda full of tension and the whole work ends unresolved on a discord.
This is a more than interesting work, which deserves to be played and heard. The harmony work, although at times a little strange seems to suit its Nepalese subject matter and everything works very weIl indeed. If you are looking for a modern but approachable new work, this might just fit the bill.
Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)
