Richard Charlton
Richard Charlton writes for the guitar with a player's knowledge of its colour and resonance. His music ranges from melodic waltzes and serenades to landscape suites that paint Australian skies, bushfire haze and bay-side dreams.
Surface Tension binds a toccata's opening idea into the ground of a closing passacaglia, a clean arc that sits naturally under the fingers. Capricorn Skies, written for the expanded guitar family, moves from the Southern Cross over black water through magenta sunsets and ashen bushfire light to an opal sky alive with birds. Dreams and Dances on Moreton Bay turns a Queensland folksong into warm, heartfelt variations. Elsewhere the pen finds room for Valses Melodique, a Serenade that sits easily with oboe, and dances that travel well to mandolin orchestra. The writing always serves the instrument's natural voice and its gift for colour.
Compositions by Richard Charlton appear on
Six Fish
Guitar Trek began in 1987 and broke new ground for the guitar with a special “family” of instruments: standard guitars by Greg Smallman, treble guitars by Eugene Philp and Greg Smallman, and baritone and bass guitars by Graham Caldersmith.
Mirrors of Fire
Every now and then a CD comes along that makes you glad to be alive: the music is so infectious and the performances brilliant. This is one such disc, featuring Timothy Kain, Australia’s virtuoso guitarist.
Romancing the Oboe
Oboist David Nuttall and guitarist Timothy Kain turn romantic miniatures into a warm chamber programme. Familiar favourites sit beside Brazilian sambas and Nielsen’s incidental music.