Carlos Seixas
Les Productions D’Oz: 7 pages
One doesn’t very often see the organ Sonatas of Portuguese composer Jose Antonio Carlos de Seixas arranged for guitar, but nevertheless here we have two such pieces, No77 in three movements, and No80 in just one. The man apparently wrote more than 700 pieces most of which were lost in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, and so only a 100 or so of his works survive.
There is a very interesting Preface here written by Oliviera , explaining the style of his works and other important features, but nevertheless what we have here are two very playable works that suit the guitar really well and that are not easy but definitely playable by someone with a decent technique.
Sonata 77 with a dropped D 6th is now in G major (originally in Bb Major) and has a first movement Allegro is two repeated sections , very much like Scarlatti and other Baroque composers might write, followed by two Menuets of modest proportions and lighter in style than the foregoing Allegro.
Sonata 80 now in Am but originally in Bm is again in two sections and a fun piece to get your hands around, with one or two sections that do require a little work to get them to fall nicely under your fingers.
However the effort required is most definitely worth it, as these are very enjoyable and sound just individual enough not to remind you too much of other composers from this period, and so it is a shame that most of his pieces were destroyed, and also that he only lived 38 years, as he could have accomplished so much more had he lived longer.
A good publication!
Chris Dumigan
Comentários