Yet even here, there is melancholy: all is not knockabout. Watteau’s characters seem to have just given a performance. But does the tranquillity of this music hide some pain? The second number, The Italian Comedians, is a hurly burly of wit and the unruly. Almost hidden in the dark background is a statue of the god Pan. This magical painting shows the sad clown at peace in a garden with three companions: the lady on his right is playing the lute. The slow first number reflects Pierrot Content. Known best for his bucolic and idyllic paintings, he also produced several canvases of the Commedia dell’arte and the ballet (they show fifteen stock characters, including Pierrot, Harlequin, Flamina, Scaramouche and Sylvia). (For more on the composer, see his webpage.)įigures from Watteau for guitar duo is a charming piece that takes its cue from the paintings of Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). It may help to be aware of Lynch’s highly eclectic style, which ranges from tango and neo-baroque, by way of serialism to post-modern Romanticism. All the works have a strong sense of chiaroscuro that can be a central characteristic of the guitar. The album majors on time, characters and places, and on wide-ranging emotions.

Graham Lynch, influenced by several composers and artists of the past, created music subject to rapid mood changes, great fluidity of time and considerable variety. The idea behind this programme is to let the guitarists explore the intermingling of dream, darkness and light. 2021, Roihuvuori Church Helsinki, Finland Rody van Gemert, José Casallas, Mari Mäntylä, Petri Kumela, Antti Ignatius (guitars) Serenata Notturna for five guitars (2021) Figures from Watteau for guitar duo (2018)

Dark Sonata by Evelyn Bond