Chamber
Audition Arabesque
An extended ‘recitative/narrative’ for solo violin. Written for a fellow student to offer as an orchestral audition piece. As ever, the fingerprint 2nds and 9ths are much used with a few technical effects. First performed 2018.
5 Songs (Ivor Gurney) 5
The final song in the series is a desolate tone picture reflecting the poem from the first world war. Full of parallel 2nds and 9ths, the orchestration and fragmented vocal line eventually fade into darkness. This recording is again the clarinet version.
5 Songs (Ivor Gurney) 4
The fourth song is a quite contrast with a simpler texture and sustained melodic line. Space in orchestration it reflects the sadness of the poets longing for space to express his artistry. This again is the viola transcription.
5 Songs (Ivor Gurney)
The central song is the most extended of the five, in clear ternary from. The dissonant outer episodes are contrasted with a more lyrical central section and coda. The is the full orchestral version, with a CG vocal line.
5 Songs (Ivor Gurney) 2
The second song in the cycle features a perpetual semiquaver accompaniment. The vocal part is a more lyrical line, with some rhythmic twists. This is the piano and viola transcription.
Wind Quintet (1)
The five movement quintet opens with an energetic introductory movement. In extended ternary form, the final episode requires some ‘swing’ playing.
Wind Quintet (5)
The final is an extended rondo with a motivic theme which is never harmonised twice identically. One episode includes optional parts for bass clarinet. With a quick tempo and high tessitura, it is perhaps the most demanding technically, especially of the flautist.
Wind Quintet (4)
This is the most dissonant movement of the quintet, involving constant chromatic shifts and making much use of the intervals of the 2nd and 9th. Named after a street in a Scottish village.
Wind Quintet (3)
The central movements is based around various uses of the number 5 in phrase and motif length, intervals and structure. There are cadenzas involving free meter for the upper instruments.
Wind Quintet (2)
This elegiac, flowing lullaby in a languid 3/8 is dedicated to the memory of a good friend. A long Bb pedal concludes the movement.
Dry Pieces (2)
This is a set of three pieces for clarinet and piano. The title is play on the German ‘drei’ as it also reflects the neo-classical character of the style, especially the first two. The finale (3) is a good humoured ‘romp’ – much easier on an A instrument!
Dry Pieces (3)
This is a set of three pieces for clarinet and piano. The title is play on the German ‘drei’ as it also reflects the neo-classical character of the style, especially the first two. The finale (3) is a good humoured ‘romp’ – much easier on an A instrument!
Dry Pieces (1)
This is a set of three pieces for clarinet and piano. The title is play on the German ‘drei’ as it also reflects the neo-classical character of the style, especially the first two. The finale (3) is a good humoured ‘romp’ – much easier on an A instrument!
5 Songs (Ivor Gurney) 1
This is a series of five songs setting short poems of the poet and composer. Also available as clarinet and viola concert suites. First performed at the University of Edinburgh 2013. This is the opening song in clarinet version.
Humoresque for Oboe and Piano
A short, characterful concert piece in ternary form. The outer sections are quick and rhythmic whilst the central episode is slow and melodic, if with some dissonant intervals. Also in arrangements for clarinet and saxophone.
Scottish Folk Songs (violin/viola & piano)
Two extended pieces based on the same songs as the choral arrangements. The first ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ reflects the subdued passion of the song of parting and the second, ‘My Love,
She’s but a Lassie Yet’ introduces some well known counter-melodies as the illicit whisky takes affect on the pianist…
Belmont Meditation
A reflective and largely serene meditation on the well-known eponymous Scottish Psalm melody. For chamber orchestra, it also exists in a piano quintet version. In
cyclic form, ABCBA, the central section is for strings alone.
Audition Arabesque
A recitative-type piece for solo violin. Witten for a fellow student to use in an orchestral audition, it makes much use of 2nds and 9ths.
Divertimento Semplice for Wind
A melodic and simply, textured single movement for woodwind quartet – Flute, Oboe, 2 Bb Clarinets. In clear Sonata form.
Farewell Waltz
A reflective and slightly sombre concert piece for ‘cello and piano. After a short introduction the flowing theme is subject to several transformations before the ending which reflects back to the opening. Later transcribed for small orchestra. The title refers to the novel of the same name by Milan Kundera.
First performed in this chamber form by Nancy Crook (Piano) and Christine Hurley (‘cello) at a concert in the Edinburgh Society of Musicians, April 2024.
Fantasy
A concert piece, originally for oboe but also adapted for the violin and clarinet. In modified rondo form, it transitions through several moods from contemplative to humorous, often with some leeway in rhythm and rubato left to the performers.
Clarinet Trio
A single movement piece for similar clarinets. In standard sonata form, each part is graded with 1st being the most technically demanding.
Earthworks
A single movement work for string quartet and reader. The piece is divided into seven varied sections, ‘bookended’ by the first. Each of these
sections attempts to reflect the moods and pictures in the eponymous poem by Scottish Border poet Len McDermid.
Written in 2011 and performed by the Diotima Quartet and later by a quartet led by Robert Dick at the Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 2018
Variations on 'Happy Birthday'
An introduction followed by three variations on this ubiquitos melody. Originally for 4 hands at one piano it also exists in a version for small orchestra. Originally written and first performed for the 4oth birthday of a good friend.
After the introduction and theme, the variations mimic the style of Brahms, Verdi and Bach before a scale-dominated coda finishes the piece.
First performed in 1993 and re-performed many times!
Conversation Pieces for String Trio
Three short movements for the normal String Trio. Somewhat more dissonant in style and free in form, they reflect the nature of human discourse between the instruments using most of the standard effects.
The second features some modal writing and the third a sardonic waltz.
Recitative for Solo Viola
A short, single movement recitative in modern style with a few rhythmic ‘twists”. Another piece written for a talented pupil.
Meditation for Guitar
A gentle piece in G major, reflecting the title. In extended ternary form, the central episodes contrasts with some mild dissonances. Written for a guitar pupil of a colleague.
Sonata Form
A fairly challenging piece for unusual chamber combination with a speaker and ‘ghosted’ singer ad lib.
A reflection on observing a ‘cellist from another stage presence.
Blackhall Tunes
A sequence of eight pieces for fiddle emulating Scottish music genres, each with a slightly modern twist.
First performed by June Nelson at the Edinburgh Society of Musicians in January 2018
Also available for Viola.
Three Conversation Pieces
Three short chamber works for Flute Clarinet and Violin.
The term ‘conversation’ here means the instruments replicate moods and moments in spoken conversations – listening, chatter and even arguing!