April 2020

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THIS POST WILL GROW IN REVERSE ORDER. Oldest posts at the bottom of the page Notes from composers in the Spring Lockdown May 5th – The River Dreams of Winter At the desk. Basic preparation. Technical exploration of lovely new…

Edmund Rubbra- Variations on a Phrygian Theme Op 103 (1963) this wonderful small set of variations was written for Fredrick Grinke as a 50th Birthday present in 1963. I have been looking at it, off and on, for many years,…

Lennox Berkeley ‘Introduction & Allegro’ . This was one two pieces for solo violin written by Berkeley in 1949. It’s dedicated to the young Ivry Gitlis. In many ways it is a portrait of Gitlis’ playing, always full of wit,…

Anthony Gilbert – Crow Undersongs (1979 -81) Peter Sheppard Skaerved – Violin (Jacob Rayman 1641) At the desk recording 16 4 20 One of the joys of the unwanted lockdown, has been opportunity it has given me to begin a…

At the desk/London Lockdown performance. 13 4 20 I have worked closely with Mihailo Trandafilovski for 14 years. This is a uniquely important collaboration and friendship for me, as our work together is both as violinists and as composer I…

At the desk recording, London lockdown 10 4 20 .I met Violeta Dinescu in Odessa in 2000, and she sent me this haunting work in 2004.

At the desk recotding. London Lockdown 10 4 20 . In memoriam Dmitri Smirnov, a treasured collaborator and inspiration. Here’s his memorial to Schnittke

At the desk recording. London Lockdown 11 4 2020

Aram Khachaturian – Sonata-Monologue (1976) At the desk recording. London Lockdown 12 4 20 Aram Khachaturian – Sonata-Monologue (1976) This piece has been in repertoire since I was 19. After finding a copy, signed by the composer, mis-shelved in a…