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ISLANDS -
GUITAR INTERPRETATIONS OF
CELTIC MUSIC
transcribed and arranged for
solo guitar by Keith Hinchliffe
Mel Bay
Publications MB20453BCD 40pp
(38pp of music) + CD
Keith
Hinchliffe has the reputation of being one of the most versatile,
resourceful
and inventive guitarists on the English folk scene and quite rightly
so. He has
appeared in concerts with players of the calibre as John Renbourn, Bert
Jansch
and Stefan Grossman and was a one-time member of the legendary Albion
Band led
by the ‘Guvnor’ of English folk music, Ashley Hutchings.
The
twenty-three pieces in this new edition are all taken from Hinchliffe’s
CD
‘Islands’, a programme of celebrated and less familiar tunes from
Ireland,
Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. It appears that he has poured his
musically creative energies into these arrangements and has come up
with what
can only be described as a superb presentation of some very striking
melodies.
Moods
throughout the programme vary from intense sorrow to rapturous joy and
there
are plenty of both. Hincliffe performs these pieces on the steel-string
acoustic guitar and uses a multiplicity of open tunings including:
CGDGBbD,
DGDGAC, CGCGCD, DGDGBD, DADFAD, CGDGAC, CGDGBD, DGDGBbD, CDCDCE, DGDGGD
making
the reading of the notation exceedingly difficult, but luckily
Tablature comes
to the rescue and as it is printed directly underneath the notated
score it
gives an insight as to where Hinchliffe wants every note played.
There are many
rhythmical differences between the printed score and the way he plays
this
music and it is almost impossible to notate everything required in the
playing
of it, so listening to Keith Hinchliffe’s performances is a ‘must’ for
any
afficionados.
Everything in
relation to this publication - the arrangements and the performance on
the CD -
show a commitment and a true understanding of these styles and anyone
with a
liking for Celtic flavouring should find this album a complete treat.
Steve Marsh
email keithhinchliffe@tiscali.co.uk
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