Mark Houghton : Shedfield Partita for two guitars: DOz

Mark Houghton

Les Productions D’Oz: Score and separate parts -20, 9, and 9 pages respectively

Liverpool – born Mark, now lives in Winchester, in a village called Shedfield, hence the title. The work is in three movements and is dedicated to the Roth Guitar Duo of Sam Rodwell and Emma Smith.

The opening movement, Festival is based on him hearing the remote sounds of the Wickham Music Festival , held outdoors and mixed with the church bells that are local to him. It begins with a Spirited marking and guitar one playing a repetitive four note semi- quaver grouping with a melody on guitar 2, that then swaps parts at bar 6.After a small climactic bar, the melody repeats with a new accompaniment and then a new theme emerges .Both parts are constantly on the move, with offbeat rhythms in both parts and plenty of exciting moments. Then the original theme re- emerges and a new variation of it takes us to the final coda a slam – bang final bar on a pair of C chords heavily accented.

Heath Haven is the title of the second movement and the name of Mark’s home. Guitar 2 has a dropped 6^th to D here, and it is an alla breve D Major, and an Andante Cantabile. Guitar 2 has a slowly climbing arpeggio accompaniment, while guitar 1 has a flowing melody that traverses most of the fret board. The emotive feeling here continues through the whole movement, before the first melody returns one more time to close on a gentle D Major chord.

The final movement is Waltham Chase, again with the second guitar at a dropped D 6^th.This is named after a very pretty set of country lanes that did give Mark lots of ideas for this music! It is a Spirito 4/4 set in G Major, with lots of rhythmic variety in its off – beat rhythms .Both guitarists have interesting parts to play and the piece never stands still for a moment. It is the longest movement and yet in spite of the rhythmic excitement throughout the ending calms down, the music relaxes and the whole piece closes on a quiet G major finish.

As always with Mark’s music, it is unpredictable for the most part, very friendly, melodic and lots of fun for the talented duos amongst you!

Chris Dumigan