1. Le repos du samouraï
2. Variaciones de guajira
3. Stenka Razin
4. Yerba mate
5. Manishtanah
6. Piccola tarantella
7. La Sandunga
Un Voyage en Guitare is a collection of seven pieces based upon various musical styles from different countries and ideally suited for the Intermediate standard guitarist.
A picturesque portrait using Oriental overtones depicting a relaxing Japanese warrior and titled Le Repos du Samourai starts the ball rolling in a restful manner then things change dramatically with the highly rhythmic set of variations based upon the Cuban dance, the Guiajira. Travelling through no less than three different keys over two pages, the Russian folk-song Stenka Razin makes a suitable candidate for the most emotive piece in the collection - this is the tune upon which Tom Springfield based his pop song The Carnival is Over which became a hit in the mid-sixties for the Australian group, The Seekers.
Another composition with a strong South American flavour is the highly rhythmic composition, Yerba Mate, a piece which makes extensive use of the hemiola, typical of this type of music. The Israelian air Manishtanah becomes a close second after the Russian song in the «emotion« stakes category.
The book concludes with two lively pieces, a tarantella and the traditional Mexican song, Le Sandunga.
Altogether this is a very attractive proposition for the student wishing to build a little «suite« of compositions of varying styles into their repertoire.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
