CONTEMPORARY GUITAR DUOS
Contemporary Music for Guitar Duo
This collection of contemporary guitar duo music presents works written for performers seeking expressive, modern repertoire for concerts, competitions, and advanced study. These compositions explore the full range of color, resonance, and rhythmic interplay unique to two classical guitars. This page provides an overview of available works, including instrumentation details, program notes, and score information.
SARIGIM
for guitar duo
Duration:
6 minutes
Instrumentation:
2 classical guitars
Year Composed:
2020
Written for:
Nova Guitar Duo
Nelly von Alven and Luiz Mantovani, guitars
Premiere Performance:
4 Februaty 2022
CD Release
SARIGIM - for guitar duo, performed by the Nova Guitar Duo
About Sarigim
Sarigim is a 6‑minute contemporary work for two classical guitars, composed in 2020 for the Nova Guitar Duo. The title comes from the Hebrew word sarig, which carries several meanings — a knitted fabric, vine shoots, and the fret of a guitar. These layered definitions reflect the piece’s central idea: two independent musical lines intertwining to form a single resonant body. The music unfolds as a continuous weave of horizontal and vertical motion, creating a unified texture in which both guitars merge into one expressive instrument. Dedicated to the Nova Duo, Sarigim highlights the intimate, interdependent nature of guitar‑duo writing.
For the Performers
Level: Ideal for professional guitar duos; also suitable for advanced students focusing on blend, resonance, and precise ensemble coordination.
Programming: Effective in contemporary guitar‑duo recitals, mixed chamber programs, and concerts exploring modern textures and coloristic writing.
Competitions / Auditions: Well‑suited for duo competitions emphasizing clarity of interplay, timbral sensitivity, and unified musical phrasing.
Style: Interwoven linear writing, emphasizing horizontal and vertical motion, shared gestures, and a seamless composite sound.
Venue Fit: Best in intimate or medium‑sized halls where subtle color shifts and the merged resonance of the two guitars can be fully appreciated.
Program Notes
The word Sarigim derives from Hebrew. Sarig (pl. Sarigim and Srigim) has various meanings when spelled and accented differently. Some of the common ones include:
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A knitted fabric.
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Shoots, mainly vine shoots.
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Fret, the little bar below the guitar’s strings.
The music, like vine shoots, interweaves its way horizontally and vertically between the two guitars, making both of them one inseparable resonating body.
Sarigim is dedicated to the Nova Duo.
About Guitar Duo Music
The guitar duo offers a rich and intimate sound world, combining two instruments with shared timbral qualities yet distinct expressive voices. Writing for this ensemble allows for intricate counterpoint, rhythmic vitality, and a wide palette of colors created through articulation, resonance, and extended techniques. These works contribute to the expanding contemporary repertoire for guitar duo, providing performers with technically engaging and artistically rewarding pieces suitable for both recital and professional performance settings.
Guitar Duo Repertoire List
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco – Les Guitares bien tempérées, Op. 199 (1962)
A monumental set of 24 preludes and fugues in all keys; it remains the most ambitious contrapuntal achievement in guitar duo history.
Joaquín Rodrigo – Tonadilla (1959)
A brilliant, three-movement work known for its virtuosic interlocking rhythms and Spanish character, written for the legendary Presti-Lagoya Duo.
Radamés Gnattali – Suite Retratos (1956)
A vibrant tribute to Brazilian masters (Pixinguinha, Ernesto Nazareth, Anacleto de Medeiros, and Chiquinha Gonzaga) blending classical form with choro rhythms.
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco – Sonatina Canonica, Op. 196 (1961)
A neoclassical masterpiece utilizing strict canonic imitation, showcasing the composer’s sophisticated wit and deep understanding of the instruments' capabilities.
Leo Brouwer – Sonata de los Viajeros (2009)
A late-period masterpiece that explores diverse global influences, shifting from Afro-Cuban rhythms to complex contemporary textures with cinematic sweep.
Sérgio Assad – Suite Brasileira (1998)
A celebrated work by the world's leading guitar duo composer, masterfully integrating traditional Brazilian folk elements with modern classical harmony.
Dušan Bogdanović – Sonata Fantasia (1994)
A complex, multifaceted sonata that seamlessly merges Balkan odd-meter rhythms, jazz improvisation, and rigorous European counterpoint.
Nikita Koshkin – Ballads: Suite for Two Guitars (1998)
A dramatic, story-driven suite that utilizes the "Russian" school of guitar writing, featuring haunting melodies and aggressive, modern textures.
Andrew York – Sanzen-in (1998)
Inspired by a Japanese temple, this lyrical work is a staple of the repertoire, known for its serene, atmospheric beauty and minimalist sensibilities.
Máximo Diego Pujol – Luz de Agosto (1996)
A stunning example of "New Tango" for two guitars, blending the rhythmic drive of Astor Piazzolla with Pujol’s unique melodic lyricism.
Carlo Domeniconi – Sonata in Tre Movimenti, Op. 14 (1981)
An influential avant-garde work that explores extended techniques and innovative sonic landscapes, challenging the traditional boundaries of the guitar duo.
Roland Dyens – Clown Down (1987)
A whimsical and technically demanding work that incorporates Dyens’ signature jazz-influenced style, percussive effects, and playful, improvisatory character.