Review of Three Latin-American Dances


Marsh, Steve. "Three Latin-American Dances for solo guitar by Jonathan Kulp." Classical Guitar Magazine 23/4 (December 2004): (Great Britain)

Title: Three Latin-American Dances for solo guitar, by Jonathan Kulp
Publisher: Les Productions D’Oz 2000, Inc.
Catalog No.: DZ648. 18 pp.

Jonathan Kulp is assistant professor of music history and theory at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette School of Music, has a degree in guitar performance, is a contributor to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and, perhaps of more importance to guitarists, has made a dissertation study of the art songs of Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino.

These three Latin-American dances make for fascinating playing which is due more to the highly complex (and cleverly written) rhythms than to any lyricism. The second dance, Cubana no. 1, uses overlaying layers of musical lines to form a mesmerizing montage of rhythmic patterns and of the three is the most appealing but that is not to belittle the other two which are very good pieces in their own right.

This set would make a pleasing addition to any repertoire programme for the grade 8 player.

–Steve Marsh