Adrian Andrei : Old Romanian Carols : Bergmann Edition

Adrian Andrei

Bergmann Edition : 22 pages

I have always admired Adrian Andrei’s works for guitar, as they are very different , melodic but often unusually harmonised so that you don’t ever get the feeling that this man’s work is like a dozen others.

This latest volume consists of 18 little pieces, mostly one page but occasionally two, all with that very different sound that the music from this country often has. They reminded me, harmony – wise a little of Bartok’s For Children set, which they seem to inhabit a similar sound – world.

There is a lot of part writing throughout many of them, so that you rarely just get to play a simple tune with a chord underneath it , and often the melody begins on the treble , and then moves to the bass for a time whilst other things are happening above. Moreover you have to be prepared for the time signature changes which are delightful and lots of fun to try to negotiate without any trouble, but some of them aren’t easy!

I loved this book, and if I can provide just one tiny criticism, it is the fact that many of them are written around the key of Am, which is fine for the guitar, but you do have to be aware of that .Don’t let that put you off however, as this is a great book, full of lovely pieces that are of moderate difficulty.

Chris Dumigan