Kobe in my Heart

“Another lovely work from French composer”
Here is a French composer whose works are always worth playing, and this is no exception. Following a tranquillo opening of eight bars in the friendly key of A major, it launches into a catchy gavotte with an uplifting feel. However, it goes around the entire fingerboard in the top voice, so it is not very easy. Moreover, there are several places where block chordal ideas inter­change with swiftly changing melody lines. This leads to a brief pause on the dominant 7th and then melds into a middle section in D minor consisting of a valse tendre that is very melancholic, with an appealing grace and a beautiful set of harmonies. This extended section is mostly a bass/chord waltz in the classic style, with several places where a third middle voice enters, or occasionally has its own quick melodic runs. This then pauses and the gavotte re-enters one more time, leading to a short, gentle coda. This is a lovely work that many will enjoy playing. It is not too difficult (it’s listed as «intermediate») - the hardest parts are the sudden position changes in one or two places and the idiomatic way the composer occasionally uses a har­monie amid fretted notes, which could cre­ate one or two awkward moments for the less skilled. That said, this is a wonderful addition to Raymond’s oeuvre, and any interested parties do well to look at the extended list of his pieces published by D’Oz.
-Chris Dumigan (Classical Guitar Magazine)