As I once remarked
while reviewing some other recordings
of 20th century guitar music,
some renowned guitarists, such as Andrès
Segovia, Julian Bream and John Williams,
bravely encouraged composers to write
new works at a time when the instrument
was largely neglected. That resulted
in an imposing series of very fine works
that have been taken up by other guitarists
since and of which some have become
20th century classics. Tim
Kain is one such guitarist who has inspired
present-day Australian composers to
write works for him.
That said, the most
substantial work here, Antarctica
for guitar and orchestra, was written
by Nigel Westlake for John Williams
who recorded it some time ago (From
Australia – Sony SK 53361). Actually,
Westlake has the lion’s share in this
selection which also includes his Hinchinbrook
Riffs for guitar and digital
delay. Antarctica re-works
material from the substantial film score
that Westlake composed for the eponymous
film. Incidentally, the film score is
available on Tall Poppies TP 012; I
have not heard this disc. The suite
is in four movements: The Last Place
on Earth (presumably the film’s
main title, an impressive piece of music,
anyway), Wooden Ships (a beautifully
atmospheric miniature tone poem), Penguin
Ballet (a lively Scherzo with some
menacing undertones suggesting the presence
of predators, in this case, leopard
seals) and a long bipartite Finale The
Ice Core/Finale. The first, somewhat
bleaker part of the last movement, deals
with the hole in the ozone layer and
the potential danger it presents. The
lively, jig-like Finale proper alludes
to the signing of the so-called Antarctic
treaty.
Hinchinbrook
Riffs is, so it seems, a recent
reworking of an earlier similarly titled
piece for guitar and digital delay.
Do not be put off by that intriguing
New Tech phrase, for this piece is very
attractive indeed, on the whole a bit
minimalist. Digital delay is used quite
discreetly, but very efficiently throughout
the piece creating unexpected melodic
echo-like effects and interesting rhythms
as well as suggesting an element of
counterpoint.
The other pieces are
all for solo guitar, and make for a
very enjoyable, varied and contrasted
collection. Most are fairly straightforward,
i.e. as far as the listener is concerned,
for I suspect that they may be rather
tricky to play. Edwards’ Blackwattle
Caprices are just that, viz.
a song-like fantasy and a capricious
dance. The pieces by Graeme Koehne,
Richard Charlton, Robert Davidson and
Richard Vella are elegant, well-made
studies of great charm and appeal.
Wesley-Smith’s Kolele
Mai (one of the longest single
items here) is based on an East Timorese
folk-song that, with new words fitted
into it in 1975, has become a song of
resistance during the long years of
colonial occupation. This work written
for Tim Kain is a substantial and attractive
free fantasy.
Tim Kain, whose name
– I am ashamed to say – was new to me,
plays marvellously throughout. He obviously
loves the music and relishes every minute
of it. The recorded sound is fine, and
the production excellent although I
would have welcomed more information
concerning the composers and their works
(e.g. dates of birth and of composition).
This is a very enjoyable and commendable
selection of accessible 20th
century music for guitar. I recommend
it wholeheartedly.
Hubert Culot
Tim Kain (guitar) 
