Duo Fantástico (written for the Dunn/Ward Duo) is a four-movement work in which the initial thematic material is developed and varied through a series of sound worlds. The interplay between the guitars creates various atmospheres throughout the piece. The opening ostinato line provides the material from which the rest of the piece develops: the initial section contains ostinato overlaid with an increasingly intense and complex melody, but soon melts into a peaceful transition to the second movement. The second movement is influenced by scherzo form, and develops the material with driving rhythmic textures and percussive effects which shift between the guitars and which also create various interlocking rhythmic levels as the voices combine. The excitement builds up to the third movement, at which point the textures become more delicate and transparent, creating a sense of serene repose in stark contrast to the storminess of the first two movements. Movement four recaps material from previous movements: the intensity rises once more, leads through a lyrical cadenza, and finishes with a wild, pulsating, ‘fantastic’ ending.
