12 Fantasie, vol. 1, Fantasia I-IV
Audio examples: Largo - Allegro - Presto - Allegro
Originally written for the violin this new set of arrangements of some of Telemann's greatest instrumental music is destined to win any admirers.
First of all, these are three or four-movement works more in the manner of a suite than a fantasia, as one generally understands it, so they are of considerable length. Secondly, every piece with the exception of No 3 has been arranged in its original key, a laudable achievement.
The arranger has at times completed the harmonic structure and the contrapuntal passages in accordance with baroque principles with the utmost skill, and nothing feels awkward or out of place.
Take Fantasia No 1 for example which is in Bb Major and G minor. It is in four movements, (if one considers the Da Capo of the Allegro, after the Grave ), beginning with a Largo in mainly two voices it continues with an Allegro fugal movement of large breadth and scope, moving eventually onto a Grave section in the relative minor, before a return to the Allegro to finish. Bb major is not generally a key that wins too many guitaristic admirers but everything gels nicely throughout.
Fantasia No 2 is a three-movement work in G Major, a Largo followed by two Allegros. The weighty movement is the middle one, which fairly rattles along in, I must say, a very guitar-friendly fashion and it all sounds very successful when the right spirit is put into the playing. And so it goes on.
Indeed all the twelve are fairly substantial works and would make a nice change for the 'baroque' spot in any recital. They do stand up fairly well as worthwhile pieces of music against the usual fare one often hears and one should not be afraid to give one or more of them a try. All three books are a prime example of how to print and present music and interested parties should hesitate no further.
(Chris Dumigan, Classical Guitar Magazine, November 2002)
