Nocturne for violin and piano
7:13
I decide to post this here as an example of my very early style and because it's short. It was discovered recently entirely by accident through a MIDI file and I don't remember writing it but it's obviously strongly influenced by Janacek. I've largely retained the rough and ready live recording.
Trio for piano, violin and viola
20:30
my first work for piano and strings, this has a generally romantic and cheerful character. Originally, the idea was a standard cello, violin and piano but I found myself writing all the time high for the instrument so in the end though the less conventional violin and viola mix worked better. Just two movements with the second incorporating a scherzo.
Träumerei
Adagio--scherzo--adagio 7'32"
my only string sextet to date -- in fact it wasn't even conceived as such originally but became so dense that I had to change my mind and rewrote the original draft (which was a rather early work and not notated). A rather volatile piece, hence the subtitle "Sturm und Drang " for the first movement.
Sturm und Drang
Adagio 15'24"
Finale 26'18"
the cello sonata is my wife's favourite chamber music form so I decided to write one. Although she and a few others liked it, I was somewhat less convinced but with improving virtual instrument reproduction, I've started to think rather the better of it and so include it here.
andante
adagietto 9'48"
finale --giocoso 21'26"
This wind sextet is a little homage to Janáček's "Mladi"
Trio for piano, violin and cello
33:16
probably the most exuberant conclusion of any of my works, it has a particular status as an anti-depressant!
1. allegro con brio
2. scherzo 9'22"
3. adagio 14'46"
4. finale 25'43"
Quintet for clarinet, bass clarinet and string trio
34:49
this unusual combination was inspired by Robert Simpson's work for the same forces. Generally introspective in character, it is not at all designed to be a showcase for clarinet virtuosity.
1. andante
2. allegretto 11'15"
3. adagio 19'47"
from 2019, this quartet is one of the works most influenced by Fauré.
1. tempetuoso 0'00"
2. scherzo 10'47"
3. moderato 16'37"
String quintet no. 1
41:15
inspired by Schubert's masterpiece, this work however ends with a slow movement as I didn't feel it was possible to add anything after that
andante
scherzo 16:43
largo 25:13
this took its initial inspiration from Schnittke's totally original work for this combination and is among the darkest of the chamber works
Andante 0:00
Valse triste 4:37
Lento 11:02
Epilogue 19:03
String quintet no. 2
26:30
originally planned as an completely abstract work, I found myself starting the second movement on Good Friday and the idea came that this should in some way evoke the Crucifixion. In the end this quintet turned out to be very loosely modelled on imagined human reactions to Christ's departure and feelings of loss, concluding with the Ascension. However, the fanciful movement titles notwithstanding, it is in no way supposed to literally represent the biblical Easter story or its message -- it is not a religious piece. The three movements are as follows:
1. Der Abschied
2. Kreuzigung 13'11"
3. Auferstehung 17'25"
Trio for clarinet, viola and piano
21:21
this trio largely dispels the gloom of a number of recent works and ends with a spirited finale. After hearing a work featuring the clarinet/viola combination, I though it might be nice to try this with piano.
1. allegretto
2. tranquillo 6'11"
3. rondo -- molto vivace 14'54"
Piano Nocturnes complete
1h 16:07
an occasional series of solo piano works, I now decided to put the complete set to date on Reelcrafter. The idea of "Nocturnes" is inspired by Fauré's great cycle although he is only one of a number of influences here -- for instance Janacek's "Overgrown Path" is quoted in number 5. The first two are very early works in a sort of early romantic Sturm und Drang style, 3-5 were written a few years ago with the quite recent 6-9 being the most substantial.
Nocturne no. 2 9'16"
Nocturne no. 3 16'21"
Nocturne no. 4 24'25"
Nocturne no. 5 33'59"
Nocturne no. 6 42'14"
Nocturne no. 7 50'12""
Nocturne no. 8 62'11""
Nocturne no. 9 67'37"
Fauré's 2nd piano quintet is probably my favourite chamber work and although it provided a starting point (and that work is quoted in the slow movement), the character here is more nostalgic than tragic and the finale is high spirited
1. con moto
2. adagio 15.25"
3. presto 29'30"
Piano quartet no. 2
33:56
the second piano quartet is a somewhat schizophrenic work with joyful outbursts in the relatively long and complex scherzo which leads to a somewhat -- though not entirely -- tragic slow finale
1. moderato
2. scherzo 12'52"
3. lento 21'52"