Recording preview

Evening, or morning perhaps, depending on your location. Have just finished a second revision and recording of an arrangement I've been working on, the passacaglia of H.I.F. von Biber's Rosenkranz Sonaten; originally for a solo violin, I've reworked the piece as a quintet for two violins, viola, violoncello and contrabass (also transposing, in the process, to Cm), working from Tufvesson's transcription of the original from the unique manuscript (Mus. MS 4123, c. 1670s) in the Bavarian State Library in Munich. I think, if I can find the time, I will subject the work to at least one more revision/recording, as there are a few places where the 'cello is more subdued than I would like it, but beyond that I think it's very near its final form at this stage.

Should anyone wish to hear it, a preview recording may be found here.

It's about six seconds shy of 8 minutes in length. Comments on the work, good or ill, welcome and appreciated.

Luctus

A new piano score, Luctus; C# minor with a brief modulation in G#m. Play time of around 7'38". Comments welcome, as ever.

A recording is available here.

Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 30, II. prestissimo (arr. for orchestra)

Another exercise in arranging. This time, the source is the second, prestissimo, movement of Beethoven's 30th piano sonata, and the target is orchestral. Inspired by hearing the performance of pianist Muriel Chemin.

Saint-Saëns

Enchanted by Camille Saint-Saëns’s work for solo piano, “Carillon”, I recently decided to have a go at arranging the work for different instrumentations, resulting in both an orchestral arrangement and an arrangment for string quintet (2vn, va, vc, cb). In the end I think each, these as well as the piano original, has a certain charm of its own, though perhaps I’m biased: what do you think?

Carillon, Op. 72, no. 2 (for string quintet) and Carillon, Op. 72, no. 2 (for orchestra).

A third addition, I have also arranged Saint-Saëns' Toccata, Op. 72, no. 3 for string quintet.

Education of the Stoic

A piece for solo piano, just over three minutes' playtime, recorded today, written during a recent bout of illness while in Minnesota. It's named for Pessoa's Education of the Stoic, about which I've been thinking a lot lately, and takes cues from it, but is written in a somewhat Satiesque style.

A Educação do Estóico can be heard on Last.fm here.