Shard
for Guitar Alone
By Elliott Carter

A short work for guitar by America's dean of composers, Elliott Carter. Shard is consummate Carter - edgy, angular, with serene moments and a gorgeously tough harmonic/rhythmic language. I would consider Shard to be somewhat easier than Changes. I learned Shard because it is imbedded within another Carter work...

: Luimen, for guitar, harp, mandolin, vibes, trumpet, and trombone. But playing Shard as a stand alone solo work is also very gratifying and exhilarating. If you are not conversant in Carter's style, be warned! It is advanced music for advanced players and curious, open-minded listeners. Yet for all its challenges, Shard is not nearly as difficult as some guitar works by Ferneyhough, Dillon, Lachennmann, Wourinen, etc.

Please know that this ultra-avant-garde piece will require many hours of work and will amount to about 3 minutes of stage time; however, it is a great work not yet given the attention it deserves.