Olympic gimmicks
The "Herculean Tasks" by Tyrolean guitarist Robert Morandell breathe the courageous and mischievous spirit of bright Greek demigods, but still remain at earthly eye level.
A romantic arpeggio study, a simple blues, a jazzy rhythm, chords of pure and augmented fourths, a lively seven-eighths piece - there's a bit of everything. Most of the "12 + 1 Etudes on the Way to the Guitar Olympus" are in E minor or G major, some with a strong chromatic touch. There are rudimentary tablatures directly under the notes. This makes it easier for those pupils who are less familiar with reading music to find their way around the fingerboard in high registers or with many accidentals.
Each piece has a clear structure that allows the author to suggest variations with minimal additional instructions, for example a new touch pattern, a different order of notes within a bar or altered slurs. This results in different levels of difficulty, which can be ticked off by the players in the boxes provided. There are also corresponding pictograms for playing by heart, for the correct fingering and for playing tempo.
The layout of the booklet is primarily aimed at children. However, the pieces can be played just as well by teenagers. All the numbers are assigned to specific figures or places from Greek mythology and are accompanied by short commentaries. There is no information about the authorship of the illustrations - are they by Morandell himself?
Robert Morandell, Herkulesaufgaben, 12 + 1 etudes on the way to the guitar Olympus, D 35 958, € 14.50, Doblinger, Vienna 2015
