Album Notes

Diffusion is a new and innovative concept for the guitar developed through the collaboration of guitarist Andrew Gough and sound engineer Matthew O’Malley. The project involved producing multi-tracked guitar works in both stereo and surround sound formats. The placement and motion of the guitars is designed to expose the contrapuntal interplay within the musical notation.

Electric Counterpoint (1987) is the third and final work in Steve Reich’s Counterpoint series. It consists of up to fifteen separate guitar parts which are played on classical, steel string and electric bass guitars instead of the original all-electric instrumentation, allowing the listener to clearly distinguish between the compositional layers. The first movement begins with a pulsating introductory passage and then builds canonically. In the second movement new thematic material is developed alongside the use of multiple time signatures. The third returns to the tempo of the first whilst incorporating juxtaposing rhythms.

Pastoral, originally composed in 2003, was conceived as a conventional multi-track instrumental composition featuring a simple melody on classical guitar set against a synthesised string backing with a running triplet tremolo accompaniment. This new version, using guitar sounds throughout, could be described as an 'exploded view' in which the previously submerged contrapuntal elements have been laid bare and thrown into heightened relief.

Le Grazie was initially written for string trio (2 violins and Cello) and guitar as a companion to the Vivaldi D major "lute" concerto. It was originally performed by its dedicatee Alison Bendy with students from Wheatley Park School in 2001 and has since been a favourite at summer schools in an arrangement for solo guitar and guitar orchestra.


Reviews

“This recording would make a viable commercial release.”
Christopher Dingle, CD reviewer for Gramophone magazine.

“What a performance! … you have created an amazing sound.”
Janet K.Halfyard, contemporary music expert and author of Danny Elfman’s Batman: A Film Score Guide and Berio’s Sequenzas

“The recordings sound very good indeed - easily comparable to others of the same piece.” Iain Roberton, Mix Engineer/Studio Manager Boosey & Hawkes Publishers Ltd.

"An engaging display of modern technology."
The performance in surround sound "improved the minimalist message" of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint.
Colin Cooper, Editor of Classical Guitar Magazine


Andrew Gough - Guitarist

British guitarist Andrew Gough is a versatile performer and an experienced tutor. He is an orchestral guitarist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Shakespeare Company based in Stratford-upon-Avon. He frequently performs for music societies and celebrated Rodrigo's centenary with an acclaimed solo recital at Birmingham Conservatoire. Andrew has given numerous performances of Rodrigo's Fantasia para un Gentilhombre and Concierto de Aranjuez as well as performing Villa Lobos and Vivaldi’s concerti. Andrew is head of guitar and theory co-ordinator at the Birmingham Conservatoire Junior Department, whilst also tutoring at King Edward's School, Birmingham. Since 2003 Andrew has been on the teaching faculty for the International Classical Guitar Festival and Summer School held annually at West Dean College, where he also directs the ‘Basically Guitar’ weekend courses. Andrew also has a thriving private teaching practice in Birmingham.


Matthew O’Malley – Sound Engineer

Matthew O’Malley has studied composing and music production techniques through various diploma courses, and after a period of training at the BBC (post-production for TV), he took the post of Recording Studio Manager at the Birmingham Conservatoire in 2001. This position has required Matthew to produce recordings with leading contemporary composers including Pierre Boulez, Kevin Volans, Jonathan Harvey and Andrew Downes. Matthew is also an accomplished guitarist and has a wide and varied musical interest including rock, classical and jazz.