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In Musical Opinion (May - June 2005) Robert Matthew-Walker writes: |
PETER THOMPSON: String Quartet No 4 Fand Music Press: Score and Parts £14:50 Following my positive welcome to the publication of the score of Peter Thompson's First Symphony here is another work from this very English composer, born in 1955 whose music lies within the traditional manner but which betrays little in terms of slavish adherence to pre-serial standards. His new String Quartet was completed as recently as October 2004 and here already is a beautifully produced score and set of parts. It is in two movements, and plays for under 18 minutes overall. I especially like the recapitulation of the main Allegro idea from the first movement at the conclusion of the second. The musical language is tonal but Thompson is a genuinely musical composer and I commend this piece to any ensemble looking for a contemporary work that would appeal particularly to Music Clubs who are not afraid of a 'music from the 21st-century' tag. | PETER THOMPSON: Symphony No 1 3.2.2.2 4.3.3.1.Timp. Perc: 3. Strings Duration: c.23' Full score £16:50; Parts also available Peter Thompson was born in 1955 and his recently published First Symphony from 1998 is a particularly well-written work, scored with notable character and mastery of his forces. Playing for just over 20 minutes, and falling into four movements, this may be considered something of a compact symphony. The beautiful slow movement is only 42 bars in length, which is wholly convincing as a work of art. The slow ending of the Symphony is quite magical. Here is a work which commends itself to semi-professional orchestras of good standard who should respond to the musical challenges it poses with enthusiasm. A most musical and impressive piece. |
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MARTIN READ: Memo to Mike For Piano Duet Fand Music Press Score £6:45 This attractive piece of musical fluff was written "for Mike Gray on his retirement, a musical distillation of a collection of interlinked, imaginary memos!" and is marked "At first well mellow - then a little mad, and then very mad and then calming down!" so we may assume that there is a programme hiding behind this music somewhere, behind the filing-cabinet, perhaps? This jeu d'esprit is not invariably easy to play, but its lots of fun and it's all over in just over two minutes; a nice encore piece for an adventurous duo, very effectively laid out and nicely printed. |
MS SHARIFIAN: Three Lieder on Poems by Hafez For Soprano and Piano £10:00 The Iranian-born composer MS Sharifian was also born in 1955, and these three songs to Parsi texts date from 1987 and 2001, when the set was completed. Singers who may initially baulk at singing in Parsi should be reassured that a full pronunciation guide is included, and the music itself is impressive. Although modern in the sense that these songs could have been written at no other time but now, they are well conceived for the voice and the vocal line appears to be grateful to sing. The piano part is not beyond the range of the gifted amateur and this set of songs is of such quality as to make me wish to see and hear other music by this gifted composer. | |