This serie has been conceived for the guitarists of beginner to intermediate levels. An essential teaching tool!
Juillet is a short and very pleasing Allegretto with a little quaver (eighth-note) motif that leaps from part to part. lnitially the motif brings to life some slow and warm chords, but soon there is more movement, spanning the full compass of the guitar, but with a simplicity that will make it accessible to players of modest ability. Constructed primarily from the pentatonic notes of G,A,B,D,E the music moves between G and E minor with that lazy and laid-back feel that conveys breeze and warmth. Its brevity prevents the piece from going anyway substantial, but that is all part of the charm and restfulness. Ensembles where the bass player moans that he's stuck in the bottom octave will love this piece - everyone gets a gloriously simple go up the neck and some harmonics to enjoy.
Août, in 2/4, is a splendid contrast, redolent of a mournful Celtic piece underpinned with an insistent harmonic drive. The writing is simple yet nicely shared, so that each player enjoys variety. Again brevity prevents a real development, but ample dynamic markings allow a colourful performance that is by and large in the low positions except for a few (fingered) passages on the top two strings in the fifth and seventh positions. It is a nicely atmospheric piece, with a pleasing yet simple use of natural harmonics that broaden the texture without needing competence up the neck.
Septembre is a curious piece for an otherwise straightforward volume, because it's set in three flats, and the bottom Ab won't be well received by novice players; Player one is saddled with two bars of double stopping that might unseat the unwary. Although minor, the mix of flattened notes is primarily used to generate some pungent discords, and the mood is busy and swirling. l'm getting falling leaves in a wind, but who can be sure? What we can be sure of is that this is a busy little piece that will delight, but not before every single player has cursed those Abs just after playing them wrongly...
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)
