I Started A Joke - Guitar Quartet

The Bee Gees 'I Started A Joke' is an astonishingly poignant and haunting song by the Gibb brothers.

So how can it work without the words? Well, the sweet, gentle, rounded tone of classical guitars, aided by rubato and vibrato, make a performance that still has the power to move audiences.

The sustain of the strings and the pulse of the drum-kit in the original are replaced by a rhythmic bass and rich arpeggios that retain the style of the original. Many of the accompanying motifs are still present, so the piece retains its familiar feel and it’s instantly recognisable by your audience.

Guitar 4 is supplied in both Treble and Bass clefs, and you can use one or both parts if you have a large ensemble

• I've also arranged the piece for 3 guitars, with the accompaniment lines a little more busy

Click see/hear/buy (on the right)Tap see/hear/buy below for sample score & audio