Dances is the second release for Chandos by the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet. The percussive capability of the guitar lends itself extremely well to the rhythmic energies of many dance forms. This collection of dances – appearing in various guises – highlights the versatility of the classical guitar, and the manner in which the instrument can be used to interpret such far-ranging compositions.

The music the Quartet has chosen for this album represents an internationally diverse and chronologically varied spectrum of music. Classics such as Boccherini’s Introduction and Fandango sit alongside original arrangements of the music of Piazzolla and Biréli Lagrène and most notably a new commission from the British composer and saxophonist Andy Scott. Scott’s work, Seven Dances and ‘No Looking Back’, is a collection of inspired movements that show off the guitar’s many attributes in imaginative and dynamic ways, drawing on traits of a variety of contemporary musical styles and genres.