The programme of herby album consists of works created in XIX and XX century, those originally written for the classical guitar as well as these published in the last years of transcription.
Mertz, Tárrega and Schubert‘s romantic compositions with a modern Ligeti, Rawsthorne and Bennett's expression were joined with the keynote by Emily Dickinson. With her words strictly corresponds album opening song Lied ohne Worte by J. K. Mertz, which constitutes reference point for the following pieces with varied, sometimes very dark and devoid of any hope moods. Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806 – 1856), a composer and guitarist of Hungarian origin. He won his place in the music history with original style for the guitar literature that brings associations with Schumann, Mendelssohn and Chopin's piano miniatures. The cycle Bardenklänge, op. 13 throughout space of 15 notebooks focuses works of brilliant virtuosity as well as lyrical, introverted composer’s expressions. Lied ohne Worte constitutes full of profoundness and expression however, frugal in the means of expression instrumental lyrics. Single - voice melodic line that begins the minature transforms gradually in the moments of expressive elations just to in a moment return to its narration full of natural simplicity. Through ABA form, as well as homophonic pattern highlighting form creating role of the melody Mertz in a distinctive way refers to romantic song tradition. György Ligeti (1923 – 2006) is also a Hungarian artist, XX century music icon. His numerous avant-garde experiments with sound timbre and composing techniques comprising of electronic music, micropolyphony, polyrhthm, and to his various inspirations belonged Chopin, Schumann, Bartók and Kodaly’s works, as well as, folk music from The Balkans and Africa. Sonata for Solo Cello is one of the relatively early Ligeti’s pieces (composed in 1948 – 1953). Its creation is tight to a romantic story from his student’s years. The first part Dialogo, which material is based on a short cantilena, was written as a gift for the cellist Annus Virány. The title dialogue was illustrated by presence of two themes. Contrast is also highlighted between their specific presentations-theme „feminine” appears in a higher register, a „masculine” theme in a lower one. Feeling that inspired the artist to compose the music gift was unrequited though and the piece did not awaited its premiere by its original adressee. Five years later Ligeti received an order for a cello composition. In these circumstances he created the second part- Capriccio – remaining under Bartók’s music influence and in a clear way referring to Paganini’s caprices mad virtuosity. If it comes to construction issue, Ligeti consequently builds here a sonata form enriched with a short introduction. Strongly contrasted diptych was discovered for the guitar and was published in 2013 by a Greek guitarist Kostas Tosidis. Alan Rawsthorne (1905 – 1971) a composer, pianist and cellist from Great Britain. In his life’s work one can find three ballets, three symphonies, sonatas, violin and piano concerts, chamber and vocal works, as well as film music. His study of various music expression forms led him to the classical guitar. Elegy was Alan Rawsthorne’s last piece and at the same time composed for the solo guitar. The composer's death on 24th of July 1971 stopped his work on this piece. He managed however to compose major part of this work and left a draft of the last part. Julian Bream himself undertook the work of reading the draft and completing work which was dedicated to him. Developed ABA¹ form begins and ends in the Andante molto serioso character and in the middle part turns into rough Allegro di bravura e rubato. The sound finishing this stormy at times chaotic middle part turned out to be the last one composed by Alan Rawsthorne. Elegy is a composition full of meanings. The fact that a piece with this title became the last, unfinished Rawsthorne’s work, as well as the moment in which the death stopped composer's work and at the end reconstruction as an honor paid by a great guitarist to the brilliant composer- all this gives to Elegy many more additional, nonmusical dimensions. Richard Rodney Bennett (1936 – 2012) brought to the guitar literature experience and knowledge gained, among others, at the courses in Darmstadt (1955) and his two-year studies under direction of Pierre Boulez (1957-1959). During next years the composer devoted himself to explore inoculated fascination with serialism and dodecaphony. The cycle Impromptus, created in 1968, was the fruit of these experiments. It consists of five short impressions, in which dominates modernistic language. Melodies, constructed with the use of serialism, include many second steps and consonans jumps though, which often bring an euphonic effect. The twelve-sound series opens the cycle that begins Recitativo part. This, in a way, thematic thought, is being processed through space of the short, full of contrasts miniature, just to return at the end as the coda of the first Impromptu. Agitato is also an artistic set of various hues and patterns through the miniature's aphoristic space. Bennett contained in the short pieces of ABA1 form the A part's title agitation and stability of single-voice part B. The composer introduces scordatura in Elegiaco - the sixth guitar cord becomes tuned from E to Es. This measure gives an original sound character to the miniature, which is based on the dense accords, slowly proceeding one after another. The fourth cycle part-Con fuoco- is a rough set of motoric marches played with pizzicato technique with the accords in fff dynamics."Fire" Impromptu reaches its apogee in the last bars, creating abrupt break in the narration before the last cycle's piece. Arioso constitutes a sudden pass to expression straight from the beginning of the XIX century. Homophonic pattern and cantilena, even though the use of serialism at times makes this part much closer to Song without words than remaining Impromptus. The cycle was closed with the first music thought of Recitativo. The most famous Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) opera- La Traviata- tells Parigian courtesan and young poet's tragic story. Multidimensional Italian composer's work from 1853, spoke with guitar sounds thanks to Julian Arcas (1832-1882), and in the next, slightly changed version-Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909). The Fantasy begins with overture material and with casual sequence introduces respective opera arias. What is notable, Arcas and Tárrega resign from finishing the fantasy in the moment filled with pain and drama, as it has place in the opera, for the sake of bringing as a final, a light, dance aria "Sempre libera". Franz Schubert (1797-1828), his times early romantic music icon, among various genres and forms that he reached for, gave special feeling to a song. He composed over 600 songs, developing this genre in unknown previously directions. Achievements in this field have also reflection in instrumental compositions, especially the piano ones. Moments musicaux, op. 94 is a six-miniature collection written for this instrument and created in years 1823-1828. Schubert wrote these music impressions, searches for glittering from various hues harmony and vocally led music line. Currently, on herby album, first three Moments: Moderato, Andantino and Allegro moderato were worked out for the guitar by an Italian guitarist Ganesh del Vescovo. Marcin Kuźniar