Kirill Voljanin : Romance for two guitars : Bergmann

Kirill Voljanin

Bergmann: score and separate parts (8, 4, and 3 pages respectively)

Moscow born Voljanin says that the guitar and Romantic music are inseparable, and here he has written indeed a Romance of modest length here definitely the first guitar has the main thematic work and needs to have a moderately advanced technique, and where the second guitar is an accompanist throughout and only needs to be a moderate player.

It begins with an Allegro solo on first guitar that after five bars settles at a Meno Mosso pace, with an arpeggiated 2nd guitar topped by a three voiced structure in guitar one, with a moving melody in Em that moves around quite a lot. Then at bar 22, the accompaniment becomes a staccato bass/chord affair, with an A La Danza instruction and a slightly more bouncy element to the melody. This eventually involves smaller and smaller note – values until the top part is running around in semi – quavers still above the bass/ chord 2nd guitar part. After a small repeat the work finishes on a 1st guitar Cadenza that closes on an Em6 fortissimo chord.

This was a pleasant work that players will have fun with, and which has some lovely moments. I don’t think it’s more than that, as I have heard a lot of pieces better than this, but as a fun piece for two guitars, it works fine, and many will enjoy its style.

Chris Dumigan