12 Solo Strings Archive

NIGEL CLARKE, “Music for Thirteen Solo Strings” – Soloists/Longbow Ens. – Toccata Classics

by Audiophile Audition | Feb 14, 2016 | Classical CD Reviews

NIGEL CLARKE, “Music for Thirteen Solo Strings” = Parnassus; The Scarlet Flower; Dogger, Fisher, German, Bight, Huber, Thames, Dover, Wight; Pulp and Rags; Epitaph for Edith Carvell – Sebastien Rousseau, Flugelhorn/ Malene Sheppard Skaerved, speaker/ Peter Sheppard Skaerved, violin/ Longbow ensemble – Toccata Classics TOCC 0325, 72:10, [Distr. By Naxos] (9/28/15) ***: A little bit of a mixed bag from this English composer. First, I had never heard of English composer Nigel Clarke until this disc, I admit. Clarke studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music with Paul Patterson, winning the Josiah Parker Prize (adjudicated by Sir Michael Tippett) and the Academy’s highest distinction, the Queen’s Commendation for Excellence. He has held positions as Head of Composition at the London College of Music and Media, visiting tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, Associate Composer to the Black Dyke Band and many others. In 1997, Clarke joined the United States International Visitor Leadership Program sponsored by the US Information Agency. He is currently a Visiting Composer to the Middle Tennessee State University Bands. The music herein is interesting to be sure but I found it a bit of a mixed bag. One of the main premises of this […]