The Music of Peter Budd

Peter Budd wrote exquisite guitar music that is performed by members of The Creative Classical Guitarist.

His music is evocative, atmospheric and inspired by Spanish styles. Peter very sadly passed away recently, leaving us a treasure of music for us to cherish.

Thank you for joining and a very special thanks to all the performers! I'd like to note that Pete's family and close friend are playing today, making this extra special for us.

Programme Notes, written by Trisha Budd

Six Poetic Pieces

Pete wrote this set of six pieces with his intermediate students in mind. It was his aim to provide appealing, lyrical pieces with each piece having a useful technical element to study.

• Estudio Poetico (played by Colleen Billington) has a lyrical melody, in tempo rubato with passages in 3rds and 6ths.

• Cancion (played by Robin Teese) has a beautiful, lilting melody above an arpeggio accompaniment.

• Vals Lento (played by Nuri Kenes) employs short chromatic phrases and left hand position shifts in tempo rubato. • Scherzo (played by David Lee) is a playful piece with a syncopated rhythm.

• Vals Romantico (played by Rick Alexander) This has a sonorous melody in the lower part, often moving up and down on one string, with accompaniment above.

• Cabrera (played by David Reynolds) This piece was inspired by a sunny day whilst sailing in the Cabrera Nature Reserve, Spain. It is played mainly in lower positions and has an uplifting, flowing melody in compound time.

Duet - The Snow Leopard (played by Isabella Childs and Trisha Budd)

This was written for Isabella, Pete's granddaughter, as a Christmas gift, last year. He wrote it because of her interest in endangered animals and each phrase represents a Snow Leopard prowling along slowly through the snow, in search of food.

Three Flamenco Pieces

Pete wrote a large number of flamenco pieces, many of them advanced works that he played on stage as well as a handful of student pieces. Only a few of the advanced pieces exist as written scores, but those that do, are full of exciting rhythms, wonderful melodies and an abundance of Spanish ‘duende’.

• Cadiz (played by Jamal Shamas) Pete has introduced Moorish melodic lines into this appealing Spanish piece.

• Sacromonte (played by George Jenner) This was written as a 60th birthday gift for Trisha and is a Farruca, a style which is popular with flamenco dancers.

• Farruca Por Mi Amigo (played by Ken Reynolds) This was written for Pete’s close friend and flamenco aficionado, Ken, as a Christmas gift in 1989. It is in the more traditional Farruca key of A minor, incorporating flowing falsetas, rhythmic compàs and a flamenco 4 note tremolo (p,i,a,m,i.)

Reflections of Spain

• Addaya (played by Brittany Lum) was inspired by the natural beauty of the inlet of Addaya ,on the North coast of the Spanish island of Menorca. It was a favourite anchorage during Pete and Trisha’s sailing days, a place of peace and tranquillity.

• Semana Santa (played by Ilay Kenes) was composed in Seville during the Easter celebrations. The opening harmonics depict the moment that the statue of the Virgin begins her journey to the cathedral. The next section represents the solemn procession of hooded penitents accompanying the floats. A livelier theme illustrates the hustle and bustle of the watching crowd. The piece ends with harmonics as the procession returns.

• Navidad (played by Trisha Budd) The opening theme is ‘Trisha, here in Seville’. Pete wrote it as a Christmas gift for Trisha in 1997, when they were spending the winter aboard their boat in Seville. It follows the form of a Mineras, a deep and contemplative song.

• Milonga (played by Benjamin Childs – Pete's grandson) Milongas were originally South American songs, but sailors brought them back to Spain where they evolved into a lighter flamenco style. Pete developed that style into this lyrical piece which he wrote whilst sailing in the Mar Menor, a beautiful inland sea, south of Cartegena.

• Isla Clementina (played by Daniel Nistico) This is Pete’s reflection of the tiny floating wooden island in the centre of Mahon harbour, Menorca. Yachts moor here overnight, their crews swim from the platform or gather together for tapas and wine as they watch the sunset over Mahon, before they continue their seaward journey to other parts of the Mediterranean. The piece represents the long, lazy days of summer, the friendships made and the diversity of all those who visited the Isla Clementina.