24 NOCTURNES FOR SOLO GUITAR A nocturne is a piece of music that is meant to evoke the quality of night. And yet, in what at first seems like a limited definition, there remains a wide opportunity for a great range of expression. The first nocturnes, as the form is commonly understood today, were composed by Irish composer John Field (1782-1837) and defined the form as short character pieces for piano, with the peak of the Romantic nocturne form being realized by Chopin in his 21 Nocturnes for solo piano. In fact, the great majority of nocturnes composed since are works for solo piano, with a lesser repertoire composed for orchestra, and with only a small nocturne repertoire composed for other solo or accompanied instruments. One of the very few nocturnes for solo guitar were composed by Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856) whose 3 Nocturnes for Guitar, Op. 4 were published in 1840. Apart from Mertz’s early works, there have since been very few nocturne compositions for solo guitar. These 24 Nocturnes for Solo Guitar by composer Nick Peros are perhaps the most expansive collection written for the instrument and showcase the guitar as an instrument perfectly suited for the form. The expressive range of these 24 Nocturnes is varied and wide, ranging from the fiery passion of No. 1, or the storm of No. 11, to the lyrical sweetness of No. 8 and No. 23, and the sense of haunting, almost ominous mystery of No. 6. Varying and differing shades of nocturnal mystery are expressed in Nos. 3, 5, 7 & 9, with No. 7 coloured by the subtle tonal purity of string harmonics. No. 12 is characterized by a wistful melancholic beauty, with No. 13 being almost a conversation of modalities, while No. 14 and No. 18 unfold respectively as a passionate and subtle drama. Like No. 6, Nocturne No. 20 is very much a chordal piece but in this case all harmonies are heard over a constant pedal tone with the beginning of the work characterized by sweet chordal sonorities, which, as the piece progresses, move into more intense chromatic territory before closing on the original note. Nocturne No. 4 combines swirling passion with moments of peaceful repose, while other works in this set, such as No. 2, No. 15 and No. 16, are characterized by a unique, almost ineffable quality, with No. 16 evoking harp-like sonorities punctuated with wonderful splashes of harmonic colour, setting the stage perfectly for the peaceful beauty of No. 17. Nocturne No. 10 takes us on a suggestive, searching journey, with swells of passion along the way, while the melody of No. 19 leads through engaging harmonic changes. The mysterious beauty of No. 21 seems summed up in the evocative three-note phrase that precedes the da capo section and is heard again in the final coda, while No. 22 opens with a reflective tone that moves into a fiery and passionate middle section. This collection of Nocturnes concludes as the tender lullaby quality of No. 24 brings the set to a quiet, gentle close. Throughout all of these pieces, the rich sonorities of the guitar, with its wide tonal palette, beautifully evoke the broad range of nocturnal expression. This recording of Peros’ 24 Nocturnes for Solo Guitar, together with the publication of the complete score by publisher Les Productions d’OZ, helps to lay an important foundation for the guitar as an eminent instrument for the modern nocturne form. Ron Beckett NICK PEROS – BIO The music of composer Nick Peros has received wide acclaim from critics and audiences alike. A prolific composer with over 200 works in his catalogue, Peros is fluent in symphonic, orchestral, choral, vocal and chamber genres. Peros has been composing exclusively classical concert music since 1987, with his earlier works being primarily for solo and chamber ensembles, as well as for solo voice & piano. He has since composed in virtually every genre, with a number of his works receiving a high international profile. In 1992 Peros composed his symphony Isumataq, for full orchestra and choir, as part of an artistic collaboration with Canadian painter Ken Kirkby. In March 1993, the Isumataq project was recognized by the Canadian government as a work important for Canada and Canadian culture - a special ceremony held in the Canadian Parliament, House of Commons to pay homage to Isumataq was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, the Speaker of the House, the Party leaders and the Members of Parliament. His orchestral work Northern Lights was composed in 1993 and received its world premiere in November 1994. In 1997 Northern Lights was further performed across Canada, including a performance by the Regina Symphony, conducted by Marc David, which was recorded and broadcast nationally by CBC Radio. In 2002 Peros composed Prayer of Consolation, a large scale a cappella choral work composed to commemorate the events of 9-11. Featuring a Biblical text compiled by Peros to reflect a dialogue between God and Man on the events of 9-11, Prayer of Consolation received its world premiere on September 10, 2002, in Washington DC at Washington National Cathedral, performed by The Palestrina Choir, as part of the US commemorations of the First Anniversary of 9-11. Portions of the concert were broadcast nationally across Canada on CBC Television as part of CBC’s First Anniversary commemorations. Peros’ debut CD, Motets (Phoenix Records/Canada) was released in 1999 and features 20 a cappella choral works that cover a wide range of choral composition, encompassing both rich polyphony as well as chordal textures, and composed for choirs of two, four and five parts. Peros’ second CD, Songs (Phoenix Records, 2000) features 31 songs for solo voice & piano with texts by Emily Dickinson, A.E. Housman, William Wordsworth, Robert Louis Stevenson, William Blake and, most notably, Emily Brontë – 17 of the 31 songs on the CD are settings of Brontë's poetry, with some songs being the first time that Brontë's poems have been set to music. His CD Soliloquies (Phoenix Classical, 2012) features various works for solo instrument, including "Five Poemes for Solo Piano"; "Eden", for solo flute and "Suite No. 1 for Solo Cello". Peros’ latest recording, Nocturnes: 24 Nocturnes for Solo Guitar (DeoSonic, 2017), features the World Premiere recording of the 24 Nocturnes performed by guitarist Michael Kolk, released in conjunction with the international publication of the compositions and scores by Les Productions d’OZ. Peros is also the recipient of a Certified Platinum Award for his CD O Canada – A Canadian Celebration (2002), while his CD’s Home for Christmas (2004), HomeGrown (2005) and Stories from Home (2005) have all been Certified Gold.