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Composer: Howard Skempton Title: Sonoro Instrumentation: Clarinet Quartet - 4 Bb clarinets Duration: 5 mins. 2 movements Difficulty: Moderate amateur Technical Issues: Changing time signatures, and a doubling of tempo in the middle of the last movement. Programme note: Sonoro was commissioned by No Strings Attached with funds from the Arts Council. The aim from the start was to provide a lively, attractive piece which would not be out of place in a Music Club programme. The first movement yokes the four clarinets in close position. There is something of the flavour of barber-shop harmony in this chorale like movement. The second movement is a short ruminative fugue from which emerges a simple, folk melody with a light chordal accompaniment. Howard Skempton was born in Chester in 1947. He moved to London in 1967 to study composition with Cornelius Cardew and was a co-founder of the Scratch Orchestra in 1969. He now lives in Leamington Spa. Most of his recent works are published by Oxford University Press. These include Lento for orchestra, Images for piano, and Collected Piano Pieces. The piece was performed by the London Chamber Group at the Bromley Festival in May 1998 and at the Conway Hall in June 1998. Availability: Composer's phone: +44 (0)1926 316595 |
More on London Chamber Group Forum London Composers' Group 1st October 1998 |