GUITARIST Gary Ryan was on a return visit to Worcester Concert Club.

During the morning he led a workshop aimed at performers who aspired to improve their own performance.

Gary’s recital included Three Dances from Terpsichore by Praetorius wherein Courante was sedate, Ballet flowed gently and La Volta was more robust.

Bach’s Sarabande & Double had been adapted from Violin Partita No.1 in B minor but Gary adhered as closely as possible to the original, and we heard many beautifully decorated melodic lines an quickrunning passages, the character of the dance forms being maintained.

Mallorca by Albeniz basked in the warm Mediterranean mood and Sakura Variations by Japanese Yuquijiro Yocoh contrasted well with its national folk tune, bare chords and exposed melody suggestive of Japan.

The famous sultry music of Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Tarrega pleased the audience and Fernando Sor’s Variations on a Theme of Mozart Op.9 was cheerful, with some good virtuoso decoration, also a lovely minor key variation. To include Benjamin Britten’s Nocturnal (after John Dowland), a lengthy work, was risky with many younger people in the audience, however no doubt they enjoyed some of Gary’s own compositions more.

His Metropolis had a strong Latin flavour and was very busy and his suite Scenes from The Wild West included West Coast Breeze where an underlying tune was syncopated. And finally, Rondo Rodeo was a rousing square dance.

On Sunday, November 29, WCC will welcome pianist Dejan Sinodinovich to Huntingdon Hall in a programme of music by Schumann and Liszt.