Esther Steenbergen

Do It Yourself

Nozani-Ná

I received an email from Jeffrey L. George, a music professor at the University of Louisiana, asking whether I would be willing to share copies of the scores I used for the recording of the Villa-Lobos Canciones with Tania Kross.

The recording took place quite a long time ago and the transcriptions I found in my Villa-Lobos file were far from proper, publication-ready scores, but more like working outlines, adjusted during the recording process.

I edited Nozani-Ná and out of curiosity searched for other versions on YouTube and Spotify. I wondered why I had never done that before, and only then I realized that the recording was made in 2005— the same year YouTube was founded!

“Nozani-Ná”, is a very short song, here adapted for guitar and voice, as recorded on the album with Tania. As you can hear, the repeat goes faster and faster. The middle part is for a small bell, preferably with a sounding g. If you use this version, I would very much appreciate it, you mention the transcription was made by me. But it’s probably more fun to make your own version, just like the one’s below have done.

Score

Text
Nozanina korekoa
Kazahete
Nozani noterahan oloniti
Noteraha(n) kozetoza
Notera kenaikia
Nehena Walalo
Xidjahalo

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Spiegel im Spiegel

La reproduction interdite by René Magritt

I was asked to play Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Pärt in an arrangement. My part consisted of the right hand of the piano only. The structure of this seemingly very famous composition turned out to be very clear. I couldn’t help myself making a challenge of writing it down with the minimum of bars. This is the result.

Page 1 = A. Page 2=B. Top line is played by the violin. Play A1, B1, A2, B2 etc. Read uneven numbers from right to left. Even numbers from left to right. The complete score ↗︎ is available at the Arvo Pärt Centre.

“Everything redundant must be left aside. Just like the composer has to reduce his ego when writing the music, the musician too must put his ego aside when performing the piece.”
Arvo Pärt

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Libra Sonatine

Many guitarists ask for the score of the trio’s arrangement of Libra Sonatine by Roland Dyens(†2016). Well here it is. The guitar part is published with Editions Henry Lemoine. The bass part, notated by Eric Calmes can be downloaded here. Percussionist Enrique Firpi based his part on the bass part. I trust you to mention the Esther Steenbergen Trio, as the arrangers, whenever you use it.

“Bravissimo, Esther. What a good taste you have ! Love these arrangements of my Libra for trio. By the way, did you know that I first wrote (and performed) it for (and with) the same formation except double bass instead of electric bass in 1982? So it’s not much surprising to me to hear your beautiful version since it was definitely made for this very trio of instruments. Interesting isn’t it ? Sure the public adores your version, right? I wish you all the very best on your path. Not so often that I get moved by arrangements made on my music..”

Roland Dyens (1955-2016)

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Mozart KV 200, arrangement for three guitars

The Amsterdam Guitar Trio

The Amsterdam Guitar Trio gave it’s last performance in 2003 but every now and then I get requests for scores of the arrangements. Unfortunately there aren’t any. Parts were updated by each individual member and hardly ever united into a trio score. Except for Vivaldi’s Four seaons, the score – including remarkable misprints – is still available at Harlekijn Holland. And Mozarts Symphonie KV 200:

The Score

The CD

amsterdam guitar trio

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

In the eighteenth century the guitar was regarded as a pleasant way of passing time and little serious music appeared for the instrument. Like many of his contemporaries, Mozart never wrote a single note for the instrument. Although in the last two centuries the guitar has been developing into a full member of the classic music scene, the obvious lack of repertoire from this period remains. Of course one can think of many reasons not to play Mozart on three acoustic guitars. Nevertheless, we did it. We simply couldn’t resist the delicacy and refinement of this music, the unequalled quality of the compositions and, above all, the pure joy of playing Mozart.

The Amsterdam Guitar Trio

“they broke all the rules and got away with it
Los Angeles Times

The international succes of the Amsterdam Guitar Trio was not only a result of their excellent muicianship, but also of the uniqueness of their presentation. Apart from their much-praised virtuosity and musicality, the trio has been singled out for its programming: surprising, transcriptions are followed by contemporary pieces that exploit unknown possibilities, hardly imaginable on the guitar. The Amsterdam Guitar Trio cast a fresh light upon music originally written for other instruments by rearranging them for three guitars.  Successfully breaking the rules as proved by the Trio’s transcription and recording of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons which won them an Edison Award.

Track list

Sonata for Piano Duet (four hand) KV 497

  • Adagio – Allegro di molto
  • Andante
  • Allegro

Symphony KV 200 

  • Allegro Spirituoso
  • Andante
  • Minuetto – Allegretto
  • Presto

Sonata or two pianos KV 448 (375a)

  • Allegro con spirito
  • Andante
  • Molto Allegro

line up

  • Helenus de Rijke guitar
  • Olga Franssen guitar
  • Esther Steenbergen guitar
  • Hein Franssen recording director
  • Bert Uijtjens recording engineer

BUY CD (fysical) | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP

Stay Tuned

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