Steve Erquiaga's Arrangements for 2 Guitars: Après un Rêve: Guitar Parts

Erquiaga's two-guitar version preserves the lyrical architecture of Fauré's original while solving the central challenge of transcription: maintaining singing quality on an instrument that demands different technical choices. The arrangement respects harmonic integrity while distributing voices across two instruments, allowing guitarists to experience this masterwork as ensemble music rather than compromise.

Intimate and dreamlike, with harmonic colors that shift like watercolor washes. The two guitars weave together with warmth and restraint, creating an atmosphere of quiet reflection that honors Fauré's original intent while celebrating what the guitar's warmth brings to these delicate phrases.

Intermediate to advanced classical guitar duos seeking genuine chamber repertoire that deepens musicianship. This arrangement rewards players who have developed solid ensemble listening skills and can handle the technical demands of sustaining Fauré's legato style on the guitar.

• Shape the melody with consistent vibrato and subtle dynamic shaping; the arrangement's success depends on sustaining Fauré's songlike phrasing across guitar strings.
• Attend to the performance notes provided with the score; they address specific fingering and technical issues unique to the two-guitar texture.
• Balance the two parts so the first guitar's melody emerges clearly without drowning out the harmonic and rhythmic support of the second guitar.
• Use tempo flexibility sparingly and collaboratively; coordinate any rubato between both players to preserve the piece's emotional trajectory.

Program this as a recital centerpiece for a guitar duo concert, pairing it with works from other Romantic masters or contemporary pieces that share its introspective character. It also serves well as an encore or as part of a themed program exploring how canonical art songs translate to instrumental chamber settings.

• Sustaining Fauré's lyrical phrasing across open strings and different registers
• Ensemble balance and part independence in a two-voice texture
• Vibrato control and tone production for expressive melodic content
• Harmonic awareness and listening to function within a transcribed art-song idiom
• Collaborative tempo and dynamic shaping in duo performance