The more I hear of this composer's work the more it becomes obvious that his prize-winning achievements for composition competitions in the late 90s were well deserved.Having just written a glowing review of one of Ourkouzounov's works for flute,guitar duo and celloI now have to report that here is another splendid offering by this highly talented Bulgarian musician.
The three tales are all titled and begin with a light-hearted and spirited piece The Fox's Dance.One of the characteristics of Ourkouzounov's writing is his extensive and clever use of rhythms to suit the mood of the piece and here he employs a 9/8 time signature but played in 2:2:2:3 formula giving the composition a quirky flavour.
The Red Elf's Lullaby is a much more sombre , gentle , atmospheric and evocative affair relying less on rhythmic devices and more on the instrumentalist's ability to play rubato or to give the piece an almost improvisational texture.
Dracula's Caprice concludes the set in a dramatic and what could be , in the right hands, a scary manner. Although it takes the form of a Scherzo and does have playful passages , this piece has an underlying menace well suited to the fictional character it is supposedly representing. Three East Tales is ideally suited to the advanced duo seeking new , original and audience-pleasing repertoire material.The edition comes with full score and separated parts for each player.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
