A programme of dances, written or arranged for the guitar, is a viable concept but not a new one. Kerstens devotes over two-thirds of the playing time to pieces written or arranged by well known guitarists (the longest is 5'15"). The remainder is given to brief works (all less than 2'50") by six living composers who are as yet less than familiar names in guitaristic households, collectively titled Music of Dance. The overall effect is that of a meal consisting solely of attractively presented hors d’oeuvres.

After making a private recording of his Chôros No 1, Villa-Lobos commented that it was too fast; Kerstens is by no means the first to fail to perceive its bitter-sweet character. Nor is he the first to fall far short of the magic (not to mention the coloration, expressivity and incisive articulation) of the currently unavailable recording by the late Ida Presti. Elsewhere, however, he gives good accounts of the music and is excellently recorded.

The dances by the contemporary composers are all attractive, very varied, and idiomatically written for the guitar – which none of them plays. Given their excellent track records in other fields, one wishes that they had been allowed time to write something a little more substantial, and that less had been allotted to the established and oft-recorded ones. With the above reservations this is a well-played and presented programme, more tempting to guitarists than to other listeners.