Today’s free sheet music from the archive:

Francesco Canova da Milano (1497–1543):

• Ricercare XVI [Free]

All sheet music is downloaded in PDF format and edited by Bradford Werner unless otherwise noted.

© Bradford Werner 2010
www.bradfordwerner.ca
c/o www.classicalguitarcanada.ca
All rights reserved. Do not redistribute.

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Marcus Dominelli: www.dominelliguitars.com

Click on the pictures to see the larger image file.

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Artist’s Website: www.jeromeducharme.ca

Composer: thecanadianencyclopedia.com/

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Are you eligible for free news posts and promotion on Classical Guitar Canada? If you fit into one of the pants below then yes:

• Guitar Societies and non-profit organizations
• A prominent concert guitarist in your area
• A recording artist
• A teacher or organizer of events
• A writer or scholar
• A composer
• Someone with something positive and Canadian to write about

Please note that I don’t promote commercial sales unless it’s part of a:

• Review: you can send me products, recordings, sheet music, and more and I may review it. Contact me.
• A story or news: a Canadian news update that I think readers will enjoy

Are you a retailer or music industry tycoon?

• You can advertise on this site for great prices. Sorry, unless there’s a good story in it you gotta pay a small fee.

Did you want your name on our list of Canadian guitarists or ensembles? Here’s what you need:

• Online documentation: a website of your own, or a reputable website with your bio on it or, someway for people to find out who you are and what your qualifications/talents consist of.

Do you want to work for me…for free?

Want to share some Canadian classical guitar news or stories? Submit a guest post either on the submit page or via email: admin@classicalguitarcanada.ca

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Dear Friends,

The Education and Outreach Committee of the Toronto Guitar Society is pleased to introduce The Toronto Guitar Society Orchestra – a new community based guitar ensemble, whose purpose is to get others involved in the ever-growing Classical Guitar community. The Orchestra is geared towards guitarists of all levels directed by board member Shayne Gray and is scheduled to begin this Fall. The Guitar Orchestra offers an opportunity to meet, make music and network with others regularly and, of course, to perform together from time to time! All rehearsals will take place in the beautiful and newly renovated top floor of 6 St. Joseph House centrally located just south of Yonge & Wellesley.

Participation is only $175 for the year for both the Fall & Spring terms, which represents considerable savings compared to other guitar ensembles in the GTA. To join the group simply provide your information in the fields below and email it to sgray@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com, then go to http://www.guitarsocietyoftoronto.com/donations.html and make your registration payment of $175 on PayPal as a donation. You will, of course, be issued a tax-deductable receipt for your contribution. The Orchestra director will then contact you and confirm your registration. For all other inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the director personally.

Download the application form here (.doc)

GUITAR ORCHESTRA APPLICATION FORM

Name:
Address:
Phone:
E-mail address:
Teacher (if applicable):
Grade level (Approximately):
Fee: $175 tax deductable donation

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Orchestra Director: Shayne Gray-email: sgray@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com
Rehearsal location: 6 St Joseph’s St. Toronto
Rehearsals – Sixteen, two hour rehearsals – Sundays 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., and two recitals
Rehearsal dates -
September 12th
September 26th
October 3rd
October 17th
October 31st
November 7th
November 21st
November 28th
Christmas Recital TBA

2011
January 9th
January 23rd
February 6th
February 20th
March 6th
March 20th
April 3rd
April 10th
Spring Multi-Orchestra Recital, April 17th at the Briton House. With two other
guitar orchestras!

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

See the rest of the Rhythm Trainer Series.

EXERCISE #11

The upper system gives the rhythm on open-strings. The lower system is intended for use after the upper system has been confidently mastered. Do not play the two staves as a duet.

The difference in this exercise is the 9/8 time signature. Be sure to feel the extra weight of the pulse on beat one, four and seven. Remember that 9/8 feels like triple time, that is, the pulse of 1–2–3–: Strong – Weak – Weak – Medium Strong – Weak – Weak – Medium Strong – Weak – Weak.

Sound Files (midi):

Exercise 11 with metronome

Exercise 11 melody with metronome

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Musique Ancienne
performed by Bruno Jacques Pelletier
Works of: Bach, Vallet, Dowland, Weiss
© 2010 Les Productions Discorde

Artist Website: www.brunojacquespelletier.com

Listen to samples: www.brunojacquespelletier.com/ma/media.php

Buy the album: www.plages.net/index.cfm?c=album&id=347

by Bradford Werner

Quebec  guitarist Bruno Jacques Pelletier has sent me a very interesting recording to review both due to the repertoire and the instrument he’s working with. He’s playing a 10-string guitar by Canadian luthier Jean Rompre. As he mentions in his liner notes, his interest in the 10-string was sparked by listening to the great Stephan Schmidt. I remember the first time I heard Schmidt’s recordings, I was suddenly at peace with hearing Bach on the guitar! More on the 10-string later on.

The recording opens with the Prelude from Bach’s BWV 998 Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro. He has some beautifully paced shaping of the lines and a real feel for the prelude aesthetic and development of the loose material. It would have been nice to hear the the Fugue and Allegro but there is a good deal of repertoire on the recording so the listener only gets a taste of the Bach.

Next on the recording, a collection of works by Nicholas Vellet (1583-1642). Any pre-Baroque music always reminds me of the wealth of early music out there just waiting for the guitar world to explore. It really is OUR time period for secular instrumental music and guitarists must explore its near endless wealth. If you’re not familiar with Vallet you’ll find familiar dances such as Galliards, Bourees, Preludes and other Renaissance/Baroque character dances. Mr. Pelletier explores the dances with ease and a sensitive touch for Renaissance articulation. The phrasing is very vocal in quality at time with beautiful shaping to the lines and sweet tapering at the ends of phrases. At other times the lines spin in variation to instrumental virtuosity. The overall experience is very enjoyable and quite charming. My only complaint would be the heavy sound of the 10-string bass strings to what would otherwise be a lighter textured lute experience. This sound works better for the Baroque works. However, Mr. Pelletier has a good sense of what he’s working with and the pieces take on a new life of their own under his guidance so my overall experience was still very engaging and delightful.

The recording includes four tunes by John Dowland (1553-1626), Queen Elisabeth, Melancholy Galliard, Lady Hammond’s Alman, and the Frog Galliard. Many of you are likely familiar with Dowland from your Fredrick Noad books, the RCM books, or other popular sheet music selections. In some ways Dowland get buried in upper level classical guitar due to a preference for Baroque works and for other reasons I can’t quite fathom. Dowland is the gift to lute and guitar players as is Beethoven and Bach is to keyboard. His range of works vary from short to long, easy to very difficult. It takes a very special touch to pull off the perfect Dowland line. So don’t think Dowland is only for the RCM books! He is master composer and a major figure in Western Art Music. This recording of Dowland is very special for its separation of the musical voices, in particular, the way the bass voice is given room to take on life of its own. This is often lost in Dowland due to the beautiful vocal quality of the upper lines. The recording certainly reminds me more of lute phrasing and articulations and I recommend you listen to the samples to hear what I’m discussing (see link at top).

Silvius Leopold Weiss (1687–1750) is another gem to the guitar and lute world. He was one of the highest paid court musicians of his time and very well respected. I was reading period letters to and from J.S. Bach a little while back and there are references to the two masters having contests improvising fugues, Weiss on the lute and Bach on the organ. Well, I’ll be honest, if you haven’t heard Weiss on lute or 10-string guitar…you must! The music flows with much more ease than Bach, the galant style was becoming popular and Weiss’s music is a part of that transformation. The low sound of the bass strings with the proper octave voicing make the lines so much more enjoyable and relaxed sounding and likely saves the guitarist from leaping about the neck in a frenzy. Sarabande 3.23′ minutes in: now there is a broken chord for every guitarist to eat their heart out. When you hear it you will buy a 10-string.

Conclusion:

Bruno Jacques Pelletier has recorded some of my favorite repertoire on an instrument that gives the music true justice. His musicality and relaxed pace also makes this recording highly listenable. As I’ve said before, I particularly like themed albums and Bruno’s marketing and programming pretty much hit the spot. It might seem overly themed and marketed but I think it showcases the material it a way that compliments the entire collection of works. Congrats!

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

• Year 2003
• cedar top
• Madagascar Palissandra for back and side
• Rogers tuner
• Elevated Fingerboard

Information:
pierret@pierretci.com
450-346-6141

See Jean Rompre work at his website: www.jeanrompre.com/

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Hi everyone,

I’m very pleased to announce that my Guitar Victoria Volume 2 method book is now available as a downloadable eBook!!!

Guitar Victoria • Studio Series
Volume II • Intermediate
Bradford Werner

The Guitar Victoria Studio Series – Volume II provides the intermediate classical guitarist with all the raw materials needed for weekly lessons. Designed for student and teacher alike, this volume avoids editorial fingerings and allows the teacher to incorporate multiple pedagogical approaches to the art of music instruction. A qualified classical guitar instructor is highly recommended to use this book. This volume is intended as a supplement to intermediate repertoire. Tonal key areas are explored through melodic and harmonic exercise, analysis, and repertoire. Number of pages: 139.

INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME: Progressive method; Solo & duo repertoire; Renaissance to 20th Century repertoire; Scales, triads, and analysis; Chord studies for folk, rock, and jazz; Supplemental scales and technique; Sight-reading exercises; Orchestral excerpts of Handel, Mozart, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Faure, and more; Arrangements by Bradford Werner; Compositions by Sanz, Bach, Telemann, Couperin, Corelli, Rameau, Carulli, Carcassi, Sor, Giuliani, Mertz, Coste, Diabelli, Schumann, Tarrega, Mussorgsky, Saint Saens, Shostakovich and more…

• 15 solo works
• 14 duets
• Technique section
• Fretboard Knowledge section
• Rhythm Trainer
• Sight-reading exercises (10 keys, scales, chords/triads, melodic exercises and excerpts)
• Jazz chords
• and more….

View the table of contents here for free.

Buy the E-BOOK and get your copy instantly! Special Price for this August: $14.99 (that’s 25% off!)

• Click Here to buy the Volume 2 eBOOK.

To purchase a hard-copy email Bradford Werner: Click here to e-mail Brad

“The Guitar Victoria series has been an invaluable resource in my teaching curriculum. Each volume offers a sound, logical approach to the classical guitar for students of any level.” - Adrian Verdejo (B.Mus, M. Mus – Faculty at Victoria Conservatory of Music)

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page

Jean-Francois Desrosby

Artist Website: www.desrosby.com

Buy the Recording From: Amazon.ca (Canada) or Amazon.com (US/International)

Repertoire:

• Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829): Rossiniane no. 1, op.119
• Federico Moreno-Torroba (1891-1982): Sonatina
• Pascal Sasseville-Quoquochi (1972): Totems I (Otitamowin/Air) & Totems II (Aski/Terre/Ground)
  • Includes world premier recordings and movements composed for Jean-Francois Desrosby

Before I begin the review I’d like to congratulate Mr. Desrosby on his new teaching position at Sherbrooke University next year and now being an Official Savarez Artist!

As soon as the Giuliani began playing I could tell Mr. Desrosby was both a strong and controlled player. The musical lines sound direct and are played with solid contact in the right hand. What I didn’t expect after this first impression was the boost in energy and virtuosity that would follow. Desrosby’s strength lies within this ability to dig in and produce solid tone, even when the virtuosity increases. Another aspect of the Rossiniane that I enjoyed was the pacing and relaxation between the contrasting sections and the material in-between that links those sections. He’s not afraid to take some spacious time when the music deserves it, which is an artistic choice not always taken by modern recording artists.

The Torroba on this recording is great! I mean, I’m a bit sick of this work but Desrosby kept my interest the entire listening. There is a lot more of his expressive qualities in this repertoire including some beautifully placed vibrato. Again, some very nice and spacious pacing in the Andante with a variety of colour and appropriate balancing of the voices. He ends the Torroba with an exciting and quick Allegro. The strings might get pushed a bit too far on the repeated figure as there is some slap noise but I never mind guitarist’s that push the instrument that extra mile (or should I say km).

The Sasseville-Quoquochi Totems are certainly the most interesting repertoire on the recording. I’ve only just started hearing Pascal Sasseville-Quoquochi (also see Oberon Trio Review) but I’m convinced that his music represents a major contribution to the classical guitar repertoire. The music is well composed but also effectively uses the guitar to its maximum capacity. The textures climb and climb in the movement Eagle and the rasgueado texture is a great climax to the movement; not just a cliche Spanish trick. The Wolf movement delivers some interesting lines and textures, sometimes earthy, sometimes equaling the energy of a rock band – move aside Hetfield! The movement continues to build from a ostinato figure into an expansive landscape again showing Desrosby excellent musical pacing. The Totems are a great Canadian work inspired from the Atikamekw culture.

If I had one complaint about the recording it would have to be the varied sound of the recording itself. The different repertoire sounds as though it were recorded in different locations and possibly with different devices. The sound on the Sasseville-Quoquochi Totems just sounded higher quality than the rest of the recording, despite the sweetness of the Torroba. None of this is a big deal but I do believe that if classical guitar is to remain within the recording industry, outside of a role of documenting repertoire and artists, then we have to give the listener an experience that goes beyond an list of repertoire. Like them or not, the Kronos Quartet is a group that offers unified albums. I throw on Kronos like I do a rock or pop album – based on the vibe, concept and mood of the album as a whole. Okay, enough of my ranting, I’m off topic now!

Conclusion: Desrosby has exceed my expectations and confirmed that Canada has a new level of upcoming high quality artists. Buy the recording for the Sasseville-Quoquochi Totems but enjoy the Giuliani and Torroba on the way! I look forward to hearing more from Desrosby and highly await his next recording.

Connect with other guitarists: Fan our Facebook page