Gordon Giltrap -

Gordon Giltrap (born April 6, 1948) is an English classical guitarist and composer who released two 1968/69 albums on Transatlantic Records, followed by a one-album stint with Accolade and the 1971 MCA release A Testament of Time. He achieved UK fame with “Heartsong” and the 1976–78 classical-pop albums Visionary, Perilous Journey, and Fear of the Dark.

Background

Gordon Giltrap was born on April 6, 1948, in Brenchley, Kent, and raised in Deptford, London, in a working-class household. He took up guitar at age twelve, inspired by Cliff Richard and The Shadows. A self-taught musician, he soon developed his signature hybrid plectrum–little-finger technique. As a teenager, he played in cover bands and enrolled in art school.

In the mid-1960s, Giltrap entered the London folk circuit, performing solo sets. His home-recorded demos reached producer Bill Leader, who encouraged Transatlantic Records to sign him. Giltrap secured the contract in November 1966 and became one of the label’s youngest guitarists.

Gordon Giltrap

Gordon Giltrap released his self-titled debut album in 1968 on Transatlantic Records.

The album presents Giltrap as a solo singer–guitarist with a light, acoustic-centered approach distinct from his later, more elaborate work. Half of the album is instrumental, alternating between brief lyrical snapshots and fingerstyle vignettes that evoke rustic settings and youthful introspection.

Giltrap performs all vocals and guitars, alternating between 6- and 12-string acoustic. His clean, rapid fingerpicking and occasional use of flageolet harmonics create fluid transitions and pastoral textures. No additional musicians are credited.

He wrote all twelve tracks. The song order alternates instrumental pieces with narrative acoustic numbers, unified by his precision timing and tonal clarity.

Short vocal numbers like “Don’t You Feel Good” and “Adolescent Years” revolve around brisk, ascending guitar lines and confessional lyrics. “Birth of Spring,” “Blythe Hill,” and “Ives Horizon” emphasize natural imagery through lyrical phrasing and soft dynamic shifts. “Willow Pattern” closes the album with a slower unfolding, balancing tonal delicacy with subtle internal movement.

A1. “Gospel Song” (2:54)
A2. “Fast Approaching” (1:54)
A3. “Don’t You Feel Good” (2:40)
A4. “Birth of Spring” (1:44)
A5. “Won’t You Stay Awhile Suzanne” (2:32)
A6. “Wilderness” (2:32)

B1. “Adolescent Years” (2:05)
B2. “Saturday Girl” (2:40)
B3. “Don’t You Hear Your Mother’s Voice” (3:15)
B4. “Ives Horizon” (2:16)
B5. “Blythe Hill” (1:37)
B6. “Willow Pattern” (4:13)

Sessions occurred in 1968 at an unspecified location with producer Bill Leader, who also wrote the sleeve notes. Gordon Giltrap features cover photography and design by Brian Shuel.

Portrait

Gordon Giltrap released his second album, Portrait, in September 1969 on Transatlantic.

The album expands on his solo acoustic format with a sharper, brighter guitar tone and greater separation between lyrical and instrumental pieces. It blends introspective ballads with more urgent fingerstyle showcases, unified by brisk pacing and occasional studio-layered textures.

Giltrap performs all parts unaccompanied, but multiple guitar tracks are layered in places, with stereo panning and tonal enhancements that suggest overdubbing. His phrasing moves between soft arpeggios and quick tremolo passages, with emphasis on sharp high-end string response.

He wrote all twelve tracks. Vocal pieces alternate with instrumentals, the latter marked by tighter structures and heightened intensity. “Lucifer’s Cage,” later rerecorded in his electric phase, anchors the set with its rapid strumming and dramatic tape-manipulated transitions.

A1. “Portrait” (2:37)
A2. “Thoughts in the Rain” (3:14)
A3. “Never Ending Solitude” (2:16)
A4. “Tuxedo” (1:15)
A5. “All Characters Fictitious” (3:11)
A6. “Lucifer’s Cage” (3:41)

B1. “Careful As You Go” (1:58)
B2. “Free For All” (2:15)
B3. “William Taplin” (3:05)
B4. “Hands of Fate” (4:17)
B5. “Confusion” (3:19)
B6. “Young Love” (3:09)

Instrumentals like “Tuxedo,” “Lucifer’s Cage,” and “Free for All” emphasize forward momentum through syncopated phrasing and sudden tempo shifts. Vocal tracks such as “William Taplin” and “Young Love” balance narrative tone with flowing acoustic lines, though lyrics remain secondary to the overall musical construction.

Sessions occurred in mid-1969 at an unspecified location with Giltrap as sole performer and arranger.

Between albums, Giltrap joined The Buskers Tour, a UK folk jaunt headed by singer/songwriter Don Partridge. They formed Accolade, which made a self-titled 1970 album on Columbia. Before the band’s second album, Giltrap resumed his solo career.

A Testament of Time

Gordon Giltrap released his third album, A Testament of Time, in 1971 on MCA (UK) and Decca (US).

The album marks a shift from solo acoustic format to a fuller studio production, with Giltrap’s vocals and guitar framed by string and keyboard arrangements. Side one retains his rhythmic folk foundation, while side two introduces broader textures, with a more orchestrated and less guitar-centric sound.

Backing players include Chris Lawrence on bass and Del Newman on keyboards and arrangements. Giltrap handles all guitars and vocals, alternating between rhythmic acoustic passages and expressive, soul-tinged vocal phrasing.

Giltrap wrote all ten songs. Del Newman’s arrangements deepen the tonal palette, especially on side two, where layered keys and sectional dynamics enhance the narrative arc.

Side one emphasizes steady pacing and rhythmic interplay between vocals and guitar. “Candlelight Lady” and “Catwalk Blues” highlight Giltrap’s lyrical phrasing and upbeat acoustic strumming. Side two opens into wider forms: “Gethsemane” and “Cycle” introduce broader tonal shifts and sustained builds, while “The Entertainer” moves with a lighter, rolling cadence.

A1. “Starting All Over” (5:39)
A2. “Candlelight Lady” (1:35)
A3. “Harlequin” (2:55)
A4. “Gypsy” (4:43)
A5. “Catwalk Blues” (2:04)

B1. “Lady Jae” (3:58)
B2. “The Entertainer” (2:42)
B3. “Gethsemane” (3:32)
B4. “Cycle” (4:40)
B5. “King’s Ransom” (2:16)

Sessions occurred in 1971 under producer Derek Lawrence, with Del Newman arranging and performing keyboards.

Giltrap

Gordon Giltrap released his fourth album, titled Giltrap, in 1973 on Philips.

The album presents a shift toward fuller studio arrangements, with strings, group vocals, and layered instrumentation expanding Giltrap’s acoustic-centered songwriting. Though his guitar and voice remain central, the soundscape broadens with orchestral and electric textures.

Backing players include BJ Cole on pedal steel (A1), Flash Gordon Smith on lead guitar (A2), and two rhythm sections: Alan Hall and Brian Belshaw on bass, Ian Hoyle and Nicky McBrain on drums. Del Newman arranged the orchestral passages and also contributed to the broader structure. Liza Strike, Margo Newman, and Vicki Brown supply backing vocals on select tracks. Joseph and Rod Skeeping, along with Douglas Wickham, augment the ensemble with additional string textures.

Giltrap wrote all eleven tracks and performs acoustic guitar and vocals throughout. The material is sequenced to alternate between concise ballads and fuller ensemble pieces, with occasional instrumental interludes.

A1. “When I See My Son” (3:27)
A2. “Far Beyond” (4:19)
A3. “Touch and Sound” (4:07)
A4. “Royal William” (1:51)
A5. “Passing of a Queen” (2:53)
A6. “I See a Road” (4:11)

B1. “The Loser” (3:46)
B2. “Wideyed” (1:47)
B3. “Miracle” (3:41)
B4. “Spellbrook Meadow” (1:40)
B5. “No Way of Knowing” (5:07)

Sessions occurred in 1973 under producer Martin Clark, with arrangements by Del Newman and contributions from multiple session players across strings, steel guitar, and backing vocals.

Giltrap features cover design by William Stone + Associates and the Bloomsbury Group.

Visionary

Gordon Giltrap released his fifth album, Visionary, in November 1976 on The Electric Record Company.

The album marks a stylistic turning point in Giltrap’s output, shifting from folk-rooted songwriting to an expansive, fully instrumental approach shaped by orchestration, classical form, and electric textures. Inspired by the works of William Blake, Visionary uses his illustrations and poems as conceptual triggers for instrumental evocations rather than direct settings.

Giltrap plays acoustic and electric 6- and 12-string guitars, including doubleneck parts. He’s joined by bassist John G. Perry, drummer Simon Phillips, and percussionist Tony Carr. Shirlie Roden adds non-verbal vocal textures. Trumpeters Henry Lowther and Butch Hudson appear with trombonist Chris Pyne and saxophonists Jeff Daly (baritone) and Chris Mercer (alto, tenor).

Giltrap composed all eleven tracks. Side one draws from Blake’s The Day of Judgement and The Last Judgement, while side two responds to specific Blake poems, as titled. The album avoids lyrics entirely, opting for an internalized sonic reflection of Blake’s mysticism and structure.

“Awakening” opens with fast-strummed acoustic patterns layered over orchestral fanfares and piano bursts. “Lucifer’s Cage” builds on Giltrap’s earlier theme but expands it through sustained tremolo figures and electric tone shifts. “The Price of Experience” contrasts sharp string flourishes with acoustic repetition, while “The Dance of Albion” compresses counterpoint into a tight two-minute sequence. “London” layers acoustic arpeggios over swelling keyboard pads and brass peaks. “Night” closes with a slow progression between suspended harmonies and delayed, descending lines.

A1. “Awakening” (3:01)
A2. “Robes and Crowns” (1:24)
A3. “From the Four Winds” (3:30)
A4. “Lucifer’s Cage” (4:08) — reworked from the 1969 version with full electric band and intensified transitions
A5. “Revelation” (3:45)

B1. “The Price of Experience” (2:23)
B2. “The Dance of Albion” (1:57)
B3. “The Tyger” (2:01)
B4. “The Ecchoing Green” (2:03)
B5. “London” (3:02)
B6. “Night” (3:53)

Sessions occurred between October 1975 and June 1976 at Sound Associates Studio with producers Jon Miller, Rod Edwards, and Roger Hand. Gareth Edwards engineered the recordings; Harry Fisher mastered the album at Decca Studios. Pat Halling led the string ensemble contracted by George Hamer with additional orchestral scoring by Joel Lazar. Edwards played all keyboards.

Visionary features artwork by Dobney Johnson Studios with airbrush illustration by Chris Sharville and lettering by Diane Poncher. The visual theme draws from Blake’s apocalyptic imagery.

Perilous Journey

Gordon Giltrap released his sixth album, Perilous Journey, in October 1977 on The Electric Record Company.

The album continues Giltrap’s instrumental expansion into symphonic territory, following the Blake-inspired Visionary. While retaining orchestral elements, Perilous Journey places greater emphasis on ensemble cohesion and rhythmic interplay, favoring suite-like development over literary narrative. Brass, woodwinds, and strings frame the compositions without overwhelming Giltrap’s central voice on six- and twelve-string guitars.

Giltrap composed all nine tracks and plays all acoustic and electric guitars. He’s joined by the Visionary backing band (Perry, Phillips, Carr, Edwards) and horn section (Lowther, Pyne, Daly), which welcomes saxophonist Roger Ball and trumpeter Martin Drover.

“Quest” opens with layered arpeggios and gradual harmonic shifts that resolve into full band cadences. “The Deserter” and “Morbio Gorge” both feature alto sax leads that thread between acoustic and electric guitar exchanges, with brass stabs countering the narrative flow. “Pastoral” offers a modal acoustic figure over suspended string harmonies.

“Heartsong,” later adopted as the BBC Holiday theme, contrasts bright, syncopated acoustic riffs with Moog overlays and symphonic swells. “Cascade” moves between sweeping full-band peaks and brief fingerstyle interludes. The closing “Vision” combines electric flourishes with sustained melodic statements, revisiting themes from Visionary in more expansive form.

A1. “Quest” (5:17)
A2. “The Deserter” (3:47) — alto sax solo by Roger Ball
A3. “Pastoral” (5:15)
A4. “Morbio Gorge” (4:12) — alto solo by Roger Ball; tenor solo by Malcolm Duncan

B1. “Heartsong” (5:02)
B2. “Reflections & Despair” (3:17)
B3. “Cascade” (4:40)
B4. “To the High Throne” (3:52)
B5. “Vision” (4:37)

Sessions occurred at Redan Recorders under producers Jon Miller, Rod Edwards, and Roger Hand, with engineering by Roger T. Wake. Published by Essex Music International Ltd. Pat Halling directed the string ensemble.

Perilous Journey features art direction and illustration by Jean-Luke Epstein, with additional artwork and typography by Trevor Vertigan and sleeve design by Graphyk. Photography by Chris Grout-Smith.

Electric Company lifted “Heartsong” (b/w “The Deserter”), which reached No. 21 on the UK Singles chart. Giltrap followed with the 1978 standalone single “Oh Well,” a cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic (written by Peter Green) backed with “Reflections and Despair.”

Fear of the Dark

Gordon Giltrap released his seventh album, Fear of the Dark, in October 1978 on The Electric Record Company.

The album continues Giltrap’s orchestral–symphonic approach while shifting focus toward denser electric arrangements and darker tonalities. Compared to Perilous Journey, this set emphasizes through-composed themes and textural interplay between acoustic fingerpicking and ensemble surges. Vocal and choral parts appear briefly for the first time.

Giltrap plays acoustic and electric guitars throughout, accompanied by bassist John G. Perry, drummer Simon Phillips, and keyboardist Rod Edwards, who also arranges and performs all string and synthesizer parts. Additional percussion comes from Tony Carr and Clive Bunker. Vocal embellishments appear on one track from Shirlie Roden, Roger Hand, and Giltrap himself. Richard Harvey (recorders), Graham Preskett (violin), and a small orchestral unit conducted by Hand complete the lineup.

Giltrap wrote most tracks solo, with Edwards and Hand co-writing three titles: “Nightrider,” “Weary Eyes,” and the title track. “Weary Eyes” marks the first Giltrap track to feature sung vocals. Edwards also co-produces and provides key orchestral textures throughout.

“Roots” opens the album with a two-part suite that shifts from pastoral acoustic phrases to string-driven sequences and scalar bursts. “Nightrider” alternates brisk rhythmic attacks with low-register tension and layered electric climaxes. “Inner Dream” centers on a haunting cyclical motif underpinned by orchestral tension and quickening piano figures.

“Fast Approaching” builds from staccato guitar patterns into a harmonic cadenza and retreat. The title track anchors Side B with an eight-minute arc that moves from clipped acoustic clusters into full-band fanfares, vocal refrains, and somber string resolutions. “Visitation” closes with sparse textures and elongated violin lines underpinned by suspended harmonies and brushed rhythm.

A1. “Roots (Parts One and Two)” (6:07)
A2. “Nightrider” (5:44)
A3. “Inner Dream” (5:02)
A4. “Weary Eyes” (4:48) — vocal appearance by Shirlie Roden over subdued electric and acoustic accompaniment

B1. “Fast Approaching” (5:03)
B2. “Melancholy Lullaby” (2:28)
B3. “Fear of the Dark” (7:54)
B4. “Visitation” (4:38)

Sessions occurred between May and August 1978 at Redan Recorders in Queensway, London, with co-production by Rod Edwards, Roger Hand, and Jon Miller. Roger T. Wake engineered the album.

Fear of the Dark features cover art directed by Bob Bowkett and concepted by Paul Kale. The embossed gatefold design includes photo-illustration by Ged Grimmel and Chris Grout Smith.

The Peacock Party

Gordon Giltrap released his eighth album, The Peacock Party, in February 1981 on PVK Records.

The album concludes Giltrap’s 1976–81 orchestral phase with a suite of short instrumental vignettes inspired by stylized animal characters. Compared to its predecessors, The Peacock Party leans further into acoustic pastoralism, while retaining full-ensemble textures and precise chamber arrangements across a bright, folk-tinged sonic palette.

Giltrap plays both acoustic and electric guitar, supported by drummer Ian Mosley, percussionist Morris Pert, and bassist John G. Perry (most tracks), with John Gustafson covering bass on four selections. Rod Edwards returns on piano and synthesizer, sharing all string and brass arrangement duties with Roger Hand. Additional soloists include Richard Harvey (recorder, crumhorn), Bimbo Acock (saxophone, flute, clarinet), Ric Sanders (violin), and Eddy Spence (keyboards).

Giltrap composed all twelve tracks and constructed them as a character cycle of brief, illustrative miniatures, many built on variation form or juxtaposed textures that mimic animal behavior.

“Magpie Rag” and “Party Piece” pair agile woodwind phrases with staccato acoustic lines and shifting meters in the vein of early Gryphon. “Tailor Bird” merges harpsichord figures and string embroidery into a chamber etude with soft phrasing and internal counterpoint. “Black Rose – The Raven” unfolds in a dirge-like orchestral arc with mournful overtones and gothic cadences. “Jester’s Jig” layers folk motifs over a punctuated rock rhythm, propelled by brass accents and layered strings. “Chanticleer” alternates contrapuntal flurries with suspended cadences in shifting time signatures. Closer “Dodo’s Dream” follows a more romantic structure, spotlighting Giltrap, Edwards, and Harvey in a three-way thematic exchange with circular development and lingering fade.

A1. “Headwind – The Eagle” (3:00)
A2. “Magpie Rag” (2:37)
A3. “Hocus Pocus” (2:20)
A4. “Turkey Trot – A Country Bluff” (2:44)
A5. “Tailor Bird” (2:30)
A6. “Black Rose – The Raven” (4:15)

B1. “Birds of a Feather” (3:37)
B2. “Jester’s Jig” (2:36)
B3. “Gypsy Lane” (2:56)
B4. “Party Piece” (2:41)
B5. “Chanticleer” (3:29)
B6. “Dodo’s Dream” (4:12)

Sessions occurred in late 1980 at Redan Recorders, London, with Jon Miller producing and Roger T. Wake engineering.

The Peacock Party features sleeve illustrations by Alan Aldridge and Harry Willock, depicting an ensemble of anthropomorphic animals inspired by The Wind in the Willows, rendered in a full gatefold narrative tableau.

Airwaves

Gordon Giltrap released his ninth album, Airwaves, in August 1982 on PVK Records.

Originally conceived as a library-style instrumental record, Airwaves evolved into a band-centric studio album, shaped through ensemble writing and a renewed focus on arrangement detail. Compared to The Peacock Party, it features a sleeker sound design, with electric textures, wind flourishes, and occasional funk–pop inflections layered over Giltrap’s signature acoustic phrasing.

Giltrap handles all guitars, with Chas Cronk (bass), Clive Bunker (drums, percussion), and Rod Edwards (keyboards, co-producer) forming the rhythmic core. Bimbo Acock adds saxophone, flute, and additional woodwind textures. Edwards and Acock co-wrote the title track and arranged much of the ensemble interplay, while Jon Miller and John Devereaux assisted in production.

Giltrap composed twelve of the album’s nineteen miniatures, many in episodic form. The album balances short electro-acoustic sketches with neoclassical interludes, occasional nods to romantic film scoring, and select passages of brisk ensemble interplay.

“Heroes” opens with a fanfare-driven electric lead and sharp sectional contrast. “Black Lightning” shifts between clipped funk pulses and dense melodic arcs led by Giltrap’s phrasing. “Sad Skies” unfolds as a slow electric lament in open cadences, with softened attack reminiscent of Mark Knopfler. “Dreamteller” foregrounds synth and woodwind interaction in a drifting dialogue, while “Rainbells” flashes with modal guitar cascades over harmonic pedals. “Lost Love” and “El Greco” echo Fear of the Dark’s romantic tone, with lyrical phrasing and ambient backdrop. “The Snow Goose” appears as a chamber-style triptych with flute, synth, and 12-string acoustic interplay, framed in quiet classical elegance.

A1. “Heroes” (3:25)
A2. “Blue Haze” (1:02)
A3. “Black Lightning” (3:01)
A4. “Sad Skies” (4:49)
A5. “Airwaves” (3:31)
A6. “Dreamteller” (3:06)
A7. “Lost Love” (3:27)

B1. “Heart’s Ease” (3:52)
B2. “Rainbells” (2:28)
B3. “Lake Isle” (2:02)
B4. “The Snow Goose – Part 1” (0:49)
B5. “The Snow Goose – Part 2” (1:55)
B6. “The Snow Goose – Part 3” (1:51)
B7. “Rural Rides” (2:53)
B8. “Dreaming Spires” (2:26)
B9. “El Greco” (3:55)

Sessions occurred in early 1982 at Redan Recorders, London, with Rod Edwards, Jon Miller, and John Devereaux producing.

Discography: