Nicholas Barton : The Leaves Be Green for two Guitars : Bardic Edition

Nicholas Barton (edited and fingered by Maurizio Baudino and Dario Vannini)

Bardic Edition: Score and separate parts: 11, 10 and 8 pages respectively)

This piece is actually a set of variations on two British folk songs, firstly The Leaves Be Green, and secondly The Trees They Grow So High and is dedicated to the memory of John W Duarte, a name known to many guitarists , and a man who loved  folk songs, and often used them in his own pieces.

It begins with a Prelude with rapid semi – quavers playing a rising idea which swaps from one player to the other constantly thus giving both players a go at this. Then the music transforms into a Dance in 6/8 firstly quite fast where, again, the quaver parts swap from one player to the other. Then after a repeat, a slower idea emerges before an accelerando takes us back to the original tempo. Then a Recitative I idea is intermingled with the fast speed theme, after which a new Song and Dance section  with a very rhythmic accompaniment suddenly becomes a quick ( 160 beats a minute 6/8 – 3 / 4 idea full of time changes and chords.

Then a Recitative II, this time quite short, leads into a Fugue set in Am that becomes quicker and full of chords before a final return to the original fugal theme, takes us to the final coda.

This is an interesting piece that never sits still for very long, and is constantly on the move and therefore requires a very good duo to give it the right feeling, but if that is something that you possess it might be right up your street as the musical style is friendly and constantly tonal but imaginatively written.

Chris Dumigan