It must be said from the outset that Gilbert Clamens' highly specialised and very skilful arrangements of these four Spanish folk songs are like a breath of fresh air; the four songs - Los Cuatro Muleros, La Tarara, Zorongo, Romance de Don Boyso - receive such accomplished, even poetic, adaptations that the entire «suite« deserves maximum exposure in recitals and recordings. Clamens manages to uphold the traditional character of these pieces whilst at the same time brings them firmly into the 21st century with his «orchestral« rendering of these delightful tunes. Everything about the music in this edition suggests a profound and intimate knowledge of the possibilities of the guitar and has the hallmarks of a superb craftsman.
The technique required to get anywhere near a decent performance is high - grade 8 should suffice. l look forward to hearing live performances of these works, work which will surely go down well with any audience, even ones including strong «traditionalists«.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)
