Máximo Diego Pujol penned this solo piece to the beautiful city of Adelaide while residing in Buenos Aires—hence the title Adelaires—and is a lovely tribute to both.
Reviewed in Classical Guitar magazine:
The opening “Preludio” is a lovely Andante that immediately grabs the player with its evocative and somewhat enigmatic melody over a rocking arpeggio-driven accompaniment. Harmonics are used to good effect here. The “Tangostinato” (a blending of tango and ostinato) that follows has an almost constant repeated-note bass line against a syncopated top part that moves effortlessly from 4/4 to 3/4 and back again. A brief Andante middle idea provides a break from the relentless beat of the main theme, which returns and climaxes with a fortissimo thump of a coda. “En Dos Por Cuartos” is a milonga in 2/4 time, (as they usually are), but the theme is harmonized in fourths, hence the title of “In Two, for Four.” This is another catchy idea, with some lovely and quite individual passagework. “Las Camelias” is a fabulous waltz that glitters in its virtuosity, and is a lilting A major/minor. The finale, “Capicua,” is an allegro with a dropped D, and has a pounding pizzicato bass line to open, followed by a syncopated melody line replete with some lovely harmony work.
Every one of these movements is a great piece of music, and together must surely be one of Pujol’s finest compositions. —Chris Dumigan
