‘Self-Portrait’ was the winning composition at the Welsh National Eisteddfod in 2007.
The first performance of this work was given by Craig Ogden on August 8, 2007 at the Welsh National Eisteddfod in Mold, Wales.
The music is exciting, energetic, mysterious, playful, solemn, and at times very demanding of the performer. The piece draws on influences from Jazz, Blues, Popular and Classical styles, and utilizes many of the standard guitar techniques woven together to make a difficult showpiece for any player.
The piece opens energicamente, with small, rhythmic, organic motifs growing into longer linear structures which provide the basis of the majority of the musical material. misterioso liberamentepresents a dramatic contrast, albeit subtly reminiscent of the opening section, in which the instrument’s artificial harmonic tonal capabilities are explored. The harmonic tension of the lento leaves the listener ready for the familiar sounds of a pseudo recapitulation, which has both existing and new material. After a second more brutal version of the lento, now marked pesante, the piece concludes with a final burst of flair before settling on the open E string.
The first performance of this work was given by Craig Ogden on August 8, 2007 at the Welsh National Eisteddfod in Mold, Wales.
The music is exciting, energetic, mysterious, playful, solemn, and at times very demanding of the performer. The piece draws on influences from Jazz, Blues, Popular and Classical styles, and utilizes many of the standard guitar techniques woven together to make a difficult showpiece for any player.
The piece opens energicamente, with small, rhythmic, organic motifs growing into longer linear structures which provide the basis of the majority of the musical material. misterioso liberamentepresents a dramatic contrast, albeit subtly reminiscent of the opening section, in which the instrument’s artificial harmonic tonal capabilities are explored. The harmonic tension of the lento leaves the listener ready for the familiar sounds of a pseudo recapitulation, which has both existing and new material. After a second more brutal version of the lento, now marked pesante, the piece concludes with a final burst of flair before settling on the open E string.
