Zamba and Chacarera both have repeats, so there's a lot more music in these eight pages that there seems at first glance.
The A minor Zamba in 6/8 has excursions into 3/4, part against part, rather than bar by bar. Guitars three and four have little to do, though they do it with a complicated little turn of rhythm that means that they have to stay synchronised but never play at the same time. There is plenty of melodic interest for guitars one and two, and even guitar three flies up the neck in the centre section. It would suit a mixed ability ensemble from Grades 2 to 6 - guitar one is right onto the body of the guitar at times. There is no tempo marking, but it has a jaunty, rather than frantic feel, giving the players time to manage the position changes without pressure.
Chacarera also starts with percussion. Curiously, this piece does have a speed indication, a fast waltz tempo. Again the composer teases by frequently taking away the first beat of the bar, and
again this imparts a cheerful disposition to the piece that conceals its minor key. This is an easier piece all round, though even the lowest part has moments of glory.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)
