Troubador Song can also be played on two melody instruments, percussion and guitar. And indeed Guitar Three, marked ad lib, plays nothing except a side-drum effect. Set in 6/8 with occasional bars of 9/8, Guitar One has a sprightly jig-like tune extending up to top D. Guitar Two supports this with a simple two-in-a bar monophonic line. Guitar Four has three-note arpeggios down in the basement. All very simple on paper, and all very comfortable under the hand. But that's not the issue - the issue is how does it sound, and it's deliciously medieval and very effective. With the top line perhaps Grade 4, and the percussion Grade 1, this is destined for many a school concert.
The Minstrel Dance sees a role reversal, with Guitar Three taking a major part. It has big first position chords to strum in E minor, meaning that there's a B7 to get one's digits darting dextrously. This line can be supplemented with a drum and/or tambourine, for which there are a simple percussion rhythms alongside. I have to say that my brain decided that the dance comes in mid-way between Hall of the Mountain King and Old Bazaar in Cairo, and that's a compliment - it's catchy, fun and I think will be much enjoyed. The standard is as for The Troubador Song, though Guitar Three is harder. As the two movements are on opposite sides of the same sheet of folded paper, having different parts in the two movements is a little bit complicated.
The writing is neat and the pieces are likely to hold together well even in the hands of the inexperienced, which is just what's needed.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar Magazine)
