Manus Noble
Classical Guitarist
Manus Noble on his compositions for Classical Guitar
"It has always been an interest of mine to explore the rich and varied sound world of the guitar. The guitar has been a great love of mine for many many years and I've always found its solitary, handsome nature captivating and enchanting. It is such a diverse instrument, ranging from styles such as blues, country, jazz and flamenco all the way through to classical.
The word 'classical' often misrepresents the instrument as it conjures up false images of seriousness and prejudice, often deterring people from the instrument. I wanted to challenge peoples preconceptions of what the Classical Guitar is about and to write music that stripped down these preconceptions and traditions of the instrument.
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Many modern composers have done this through the use of new compositional techniques, atonality and extended performance techniques. Although many oustanding works have been commissioned from such composers as Michael Tippett and Richard Rodney Bennett, audiences often find this too foreign and somewhat difficult to listen to or understand. I wanted to write music that was forward thinking and that opened up the rich and varied sound world of the guitar, but at the same time is accessible and enjoyable both for performer and audience.
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I was very lucky to be able to study under the British guitarist Gary Ryan during my time at the Royal College of Music. His teachings and especially his compositions (such as Scenes from the Wild West, Junglescape and Generator) are a constant source of inspiration. His ideas and compositions were and still are very fresh and exciting and really breathe new life into the instrument, and although his compositions use many extended performance techniques, his compositions are extremely enjoyable and accessible.
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I believe that it is every player's duty to help the instrument develop in order to reveal its true magical potential."
