Andrew Zohn (arr.) : 30 Romantic Miniatures : DOz

BURGMULLER : Arabesque, Pastorale: CHOPIN: Preludes Op28, Nos 7 and 20; FRANCK: Chant de la Creuse: GLINKA: Polka: GRIEG: Arietta, Elfintanz, Volkslied: GURLITT: Scherzo: HELLER: Eina Alte Romanze: KIRCHNER: Allegretto in C; Preludes Op65 Nos 2, and 9: KOHLER: Song of the Hussars: LANNER: Waltz in E: MACDOWELL: To a Wild Rose: REBIKOFF: Evening in the Meadow; Oriental Dance: SCHUMANN: Bagatelle; Melodie; Soldatenmarsch; Wilder Reiter; Traumerei: SCRIABIN: Prelude Op16 No4; TCHAIKOVSKY: March of the Wooden Soldiers; Morning Prayer; Mazurka; The Doll’s Funeral; Valse.

Arranged by Andrew Zohn

Les Productions D’Oz; 39 pages

Andrew Zohn is of course a well known name in the guitar fraternity and I have previously seen a few publications of his of arrangements for guitar of (usually) keyboard pieces. Such is the case here, as they are all originally written for keyboard. Some of the names of the composers are well –known and a few are ones you may not have heard of before, and therefore there are going to be a small number you may know and a fair amount you will not .

As a result there are a few that are fine as little practise pieces, but not great as pieces to play for their musical content, but there are quite a large number that really do sound good in their new guise, an da few that you may have seen before in a guitar arrangement, namely some of the Schumann, and the Chopin, and perhaps the Grieg also. The standard required for these pieces is generally moderate, with one or two having slightly unexpected moments that could catch the player unawares.

However, this is a fine book, to have especially if you are a teacher wanting to try your pupils with something suitably different and yet still entertaining!

Chris Dumigan