# The electric guitar as a chamber instrument



## egospoon

I'm fascinated by this. Dan Joseph, The Guitars of Wrath, "Electric Guitar Phase" from Steve Reich's "Triple Quartet" album... Needle-sharp chamber music--just fantastic.

Can anyone point me to more?


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## mmsbls

I just heard Erkki-Sven Tuur's Architectonics V for electric guitar and amplified piano (1991). I'm not really a fan of electric guitar's, but this was an interesting work.


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## Guest

Richard Barrett and Pierluigi Billone are two composers that use it quite a lot in small ensembles off the top of my head.

And speaking of Erkki-Sven Tuur, if you meant "electric guitar in classical compositions (not just chamber)", he also has a symphony for electric guitar, big band, and orchestra. And that Penderecki Partita has not only harpsichord and harp, but also electric guitar AND *bass guitar*!

Of course, you could simply listen to Keith Rowe and get nothing BUT electro-acoustic prepared guitar.


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## Morimur

nathanb said:


> Richard Barrett and Pierluigi Billone are two composers that use it quite a lot in small ensembles off the top of my head.


*Richard Barrett* is much too obscure and underrated around here. I recommend one of his most recent works, _Dark Matter_-there's a marvelous electric guitar part that should leave mouths agape.


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## egospoon

Thank you for pointing me to Richard Barrett.


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## Albert7

There is a recent Morton Feldman piece involving electric guitar that was reconstructed:



__ https://www.facebook.com/ModeRecords/posts/10152651729955906


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## norman bates

The studies of Jimmy Wyble weren't written necessarily for electric guitar (there's no distortion or any effect involved) but they are very often played on it and it's very interesting music. 





Anyway I think that the instrument desperately need a composer who understands what is possible to do with the chime chords (the technique used by Lenny Breau with an harmonic played on the lower note to achieve otherwise impossible close voicings and a beautiful sound too similar to that of a Fender rhodes).
This kind of thing:


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## Sina

Rebecca Saunders dichroic seventeen (1998) for accordion, electric guitar, piano, 2 percussionists, cello & 2 double-basses




Also another piece by her, vermilion (2003) for Bb clarinet, electric guitar & cello





Tristan Murail's Les Nuages De Magellan (1973), for 2 ondes Martenot, electric guitar and percussion




And his piece Vampyr! (1984), for solo electric guitar





An intense hour-long piece for solo electric guitar, Georges Lentz' Caeli enarrant... VII. Mysterium: Ingwe (2003/09)
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCYQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naxos.com%2Fcatalogue%2Fitem. asp%3Fitem_code%3D8.572483&ei=SSKJVZvaH4bNygPEy42QAQ&usg=AFQjCNGZe4ZbLLbaRAx_yy3l6dYpVA1Eyw&sig2=DrbdoE-RWvc7606svVOn0g

Some larger scales works featuring the electric guitar are:
Helmut Lachenmann's Air (1994) for solo percussion and large orchestra





His orchestral piece Schwankungen am Rand (1974/75) for eight brass, two electric guitars, two pianos, four thunder sheets, and 34 strings, two performances on Col lengo and ECM

Also his piece NUN (1997/99) for flute, trombone, voices & orchestra





Then some concertante works:
Olga Neuwirth's Vampyrotheone (1995) for three soloist (clarinet, electric guitar, saxophone) & 3 ensemble groups





Her double concerto Photophorus (1997) for 2 electric guitars & orchestra

Again Tristan Murail's Contes cruels (2007) for 2 electric guitars and orchestra





Bryce Dessner's St. Carolyn by the Sea (2011) for 2 electric guitars & orchestra





And Michael Daugherty's Gee's Bend (2009) for electric guitar & orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFHwtBEhDbyczI1N4Bl-0PUJNKU5b1IlY


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## norman bates

A lot of pieces I didn't know, thanks Sina!

Johnny Richards - Annotations of the muses 
this jazzy piece recorded in the fifties is actually fully notated. Johnny Smith on guitar


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## millionrainbows

egospoon said:


> I'm fascinated by this. Dan Joseph, The Guitars of Wrath, "Electric Guitar Phase" from Steve Reich's "Triple Quartet" album... Needle-sharp chamber music--just fantastic.
> 
> Can anyone point me to more?


Yes:* Boulez, *with electric jazz-sound guitar and stand-up plucked bass!










Try this: JAZZ ABSTRACTIONS with a piece by Jim Hall:









Jim Hall might be the guy you're looking for. He has composed many interesting pieces for electric jazz guitar. Volume 2 of this Town Hall set has a composition of his called _*Thesis. *_Pictured is the 2-CD reissue; get the single volumes if you can.


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## millionrainbows

All the Jim Hall stuff on Telarc is interesting:


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