Alba nera by Roland Dyens (1955-2016) is number 50 in the collection Les 100 des Roland Dyens, and the last composition in volume 1 of the two-volume set. It is also available as an individual composition. Dyens enjoyed playing with words, and while the Italian words “alba nera” translate to English as “the dark dawn,” the sound of the words is a pun on the name of the Cuban dance habanera, and the composition is indeed marked “Tempo di habanera.”

In addition to a creative title, Alba nera, employs a creative tuning on the guitar. The fifth string, which is usually tuned to the note A, is instead tuned a whole step higher to the note B. The composition is idiomatic to the guitar and the unique tuning, the open string B is used in several passages as a pedal tone, and the composition is in the key of B minor.

Example 1 shows the opening figure, which is both characteristic of a habanera, and makes use of the open fifth string tuned to a B. The melody and accompaniment are all playable in first and second position, though the open fifth string B facilitates additional resonance from the guitar and ease of playing for the left hand.

Example 2 shows the opening of the contrasting middle section, beginning with measure 29. In this passage the left-hand plays in upper positions while the open fifths string continues to ring as the note B. This passage would be extremely difficult or impossible in standard tuning.