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Full
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Our most recently
released CD featuring
music of the 20th century from Eastern Europe:
On The
Overgrown Path
Track
Listing:
Béla
Bartók 1881-1945
Three
Rondos on Folk Tunes arranged by A. Forrest
Eight Pieces for Children
arranged by A. Forrest - Choral;
Ballad; Drinking Song; Mourning Song; Swineherd's Song; Rhapsody;
Jeering Song; Old Hungarian Tune.
Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm
arranged by A. Forrest.
Leos Janacek 1854-1928
On
the Overgrown Path arranged by D. Scarth
- Our Evenings; A Blown-Away Leaf; Come with Us!; The Madonna of
Frydek; They Chattered like Swallows; Words Fail; Good Night;
Unutterable Anguish; In Tears; The Barn Owl Has Not Flown Away.
Igor Stravinsky 1882-1971
Suite
No.1 arranged by A. Forrest -
Andante; Napolitana; Española; Balalaïka.
Suite No.2 arranged by A. Forrest
- March;Valse; Polka; Galop.
Total
playing time: 70:24
CD Reviews
"I know of (no other guitar
ensemble release) with a less clichéd repertoire."
"the Bartok arrangements.... are wonderful and performed with great
style." (Richard Wright - Musician September 1999)
"The York Guitar Quartet consists of an acoustic bass, a requinto, a
tenor and one player doubling between requinto and tenor. This rather
specialist line-up therefore necessitates that much music is arranged.
However, this is no bad thing when the quality of the music is as here.
The sound is rich and full, if a little 'echoey' and the acoustic bass
in particular makes a considerable impact.
Now if you like your Bartok in small doses, which I am afraid I do,
then fear not! Most of the three sets represented here show Bartok at
his most approachable. The Three Rondos on Folk Tunes have some great
moments. It is music that in the end sounds right in this idiom and
does not sound arranged. The Eight Pieces for Children are short and
heavily based on folk melodies. In their original format, they are
eminently playable by children and yet written in such a style that
they can appreciate them as well. The playing here is colourful and the
pieces imaginatively arranged. The Six Dances on Bulgarian Rhythm from
Mikrokosmos are tougher harmonically, but sound equally good here.
The Janacek suite, in ten movements, is mostly lyrical and
approachable, and ideally suited to the sound of guitars. Highlights
included the opening of Our Evenings and the third movement Come with
Us! The darker elements later on in the suite are nicely caught.
The Stravinsky Suites were surprisingly arranged by the composer for,
among other things, a bandurria quartet. They therefore comfortably
moved to the present arrangement as done by Andrew Forrest, the
quartet's requinto and tenor player. This is Stravinsky wearing his
neo-classical guise and as such the music is melodic with occasional
pungent chords and offbeat accents, as only he could do.
So if you like the selection of pieces here, then you will be happy
with the present recording. It is refreshing to come across
arrangements that sound like the originals."(Chris Dumigan - Classical
Guitar - November 1999)
To order
a CD: please email
or order from your record shop PHI CD
500
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