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Cumberland Concertino
by Roger Hudson
for Guitar and Strings
Publication's Style:
9 X 12 - Soft Cover - Score and Parts
Full Score and Guitar Part - $24.95
One complete set of String Parts - $12.95 |
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About the Cumberland Concertino for Guitar and Strings As a composer and guitarist, I have long entertained the idea of composing for guitar and orchestra. It seems the guitar has too often been left out of the spectacular power of orchestral music. However, in recent years, with the option of amplification and the abundance of capable performers with solid musical skills, it seems a good time to compose music for guitar and orchestra. Two famous models of works for guitar and orchestra stand in enticing contrast. One model is the short, concise, tuneful adaptations of Antonio Vivaldi's work. The other, of epic proportion and character, is Joaquin Rodrigo's magnum opus: Concierto de Aranjuez - a work involuntarily synonymous with the idea of guitar and orchestra. Since this would be my first guitar and orchestra work, I leaned toward the Vivaldi model for several reasons. Among the most practical of reasons were Vivaldi's works' relative ease in performance preparation and the fact that they could be executed without the entire orchestra. The Cumberland Concertino is of three movements generally influenced by the fiddle, banjo and flat-picking guitar music I heard as a child. My mother's people are Appalachians and when I traveled to visit them, "mountain music" was the music I heard. So it was upon this foundation that I built thematic material; albeit not actual folk tunes. This perspective is central to the character of the first and third movements – Fiddle Tune and Breakdown. In keeping with the spirit of rural simplicity, these movements are direct and intended to be performed in an unpretentious way – a very honest and intuitive way – with no "romantic" phrasing. To some classical guitarists this may present a challenge in that we are so accustomed to playing rubato. The timing and essential "groove" is mandatory. If the soloist cannot already do so, he/she will need to learn to strum in a natural and convincing manner. The first and last movements are best approached with confident playfulness. The second movement allows the soloist to express in a way that perhaps is more sophisticated and reflects the cultural variety of the modern Cumberland region and my current home of Nashville. The second movement is essentially a ballad pointing to some unspecified longing. In rehearsals and performances of this concertino I have been heartened by the fact that the string players seem to enjoy their parts. This is perhaps due to the fact that the strings have many "out front" idiomatic phrases and are not merely accompanying the soloist. The guitar soloist is given challenges, but not so much so that the performance would seem laborious. So, in some ways, the piece is ideal for a guitarist's first performance as soloist with orchestra. For the more accomplished concert artist, the piece has a practical use as an alternative to works requiring more personnel and preparation. It would also likely have good applications other than strictly in the concert hall. Finally, I can say objectively, that the piece has already been enjoyed by audiences perhaps because of its simplicity and "folksy" American character. Roger Hudson - January 28, 2011 Nashville
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