Song Without Words

"A particularly elegant cover design wraps around this substantial piece, which lasts about five minutes at the quoted metronome speed. We open in the key D, with Guitar Four tuned down to 6=D. The parts enter one at a time and the accompaniment lines weave an undulating yet rhythmic platform for the melody that enters high up the neck with a gently syncopated, flowing and pleasing line. But this is not the final character of the piece - the tempo steps up and the music moves from 4/4 to 3/4 and from to two sharps to two flats, under­pinned with deep resonant Eb and Ab basses. The music is divided into short sections and each provides a contrast - we move to D minor, and although the accompaniment increases in pace, the fingering is easy; although it is odd that Guitar Two is fingered in the repeat of the phrase in bar 34, not the initial assertion of the section; easily remedied with a pencil. Back to two sharps and some more lyrical melody underpinned here and there with staccato. Even now, we're not done - back to D minor and a more waltz-like section. There is even more variety to follow - a change to triplets and then to semiquavers. Without a conductor, the final bar is going to be kill or cure ... The pace stops with a six-beat note, but the final bar is a syncopated mix of quavers and semiquavers that requires excellent synchronisation. I think one of the major selling points of this piece is the high degree of sophistication that is achieved with quite modest technical demands. Sometimes a piece that sounds straightforward to the audience can be a challenge to the players, but this is the opposite, and all the better for it. This is a piece that has much to listen to, but which isn't a trial to play. Grade 5 players will not find anything frightening here, and I think this is going to be very popular, not only for intermediate players, but also for more advanced players too. There is fingering and dynamics, and enough expression marks to make it clear how to shape the performance."

Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)