Michael Smither: Two Guitars - hardcopy SCORE

About

The music from this book came initially from my 21 Piano Pieces published in 1983 by Waiteata Press. Joseph made a transcription of Prelude One written in 1972 which was the first time I'd heard my work played on a guitar.

When he moved to Melbourne and became a guitar and music teacher I proposed he arrange other pieces from the 21 Piano Pieces for two guitars as a teaching tool.

Prelude Two, Watz for Thomas, Droll One, Droll Two and Lullaby resulted in my becoming really interested in composing for two guitars. There followed a set of Songs without Words that were considered two sweet for the percussive piano but work well on the romantically plucked guitar.

Girl on a Swing was inspired by a Hone Tu Whare poem. Just a Little Dance comes from my music for the 1980s dance spectacular The End of Times Chimes.

Over the past 4 years, scores and CDs have been flying back and forth across the Tasman Sea.

After compiling over 20 compositions we decided to publish 13 that cover a range of styles and moods. She Said, the most recent piece, is based on part of a song cycle of Peter Jacobson's poems.

On Tiptoes , a fun pieces written a year or two ago, with more and more enthusiastic renditions became instead of A Little Haka to sing off on.

Michael Smither

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