tonebase Guitar Course

Bennett

Impromptus

Taught by renowned guitarist

Dragos Ilie

When Julian Bream approached Richard Rodney Bennett about writing a guitar concerto, Bennett allegedly responded no. Instead, he offered to write a set of short pieces that would serve him as sketches for understanding the classical guitar before committing to writing the concerto. In this lesson, Dragos Ilie presents the Impromptus by Bennett, consisting of five colorful movements and a great starting point for a guitarist getting into atonality.

Difficulty:
all-levels
Duration:
1
hours
hour

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Course Syllabus

Introduction

Romanian guitarist Dragos Ilie introduces the Impromptus by Richard Rodney Bennett, consisting of five colorful movements and a great starting point for a guitarist getting into atonality.

Impromptus - I

In the opening line of the Recitativo, Richard Rodney Bennett clearly outlines his use of 12-tone serialism, a technique where all twelve pitches are used before any of them are to be repeated. Dragos Ilie interprets this opening line as if a narrator is stating material to be developed within the movement and the entire piece.

Impromptus - II

The second movement of the Impromptus is labeled Agitato, and is meant to be more aggressive and contrasting to the opening movement. Dragos Ilie introduces a fun technique where the thumb is used almost like a pick, which enables the piece to be performed at one consistent tempo.

Impromptus - III

Some of the most delicate moments in Bennett's Impromptus are present in the third movement, Elegiaco. This movement uses scordatura, tuning down the sixth string to Eb, adding depth and resonance to the guitar.

Impromptus - IV

Dragos describes the fourth movement as if one was in the noisy streets of a city. The fast, uneven rhythms, frequent metric change, in addition to being loud and busy, contribute to a fun depiction of the city grind.

Impromptus - V

The final movement of the Impromptus returns to a more delicate and mysterious theme. Bennett curiously finishes the piece with the opening row presented in the first movement, almost as if to contradict the lack of hierarchy that serialism aims to promote.

Impromptus

Dragos Ilie performs Richard Rodney Bennett's Impromptus.

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Bennett

Impromptus

Course Syllabus

Dragos Ilie

Learn from legendary guitarists

Dave McLellan

Join over 10,000 fellow musicians improving every day on tonebase.