Two Miniatures

Programme Note

My Two Miniatures originated as two separate vocal pieces, both of which were written in collaboration with the poet Steve Willey while I was a Masters student. Returning to them years later, I realised that the extremely disjunct vocal writing was much better suited to instruments, and I reworked both pieces to become the pair of miniatures for ensemble they are today. The influences on the two pieces are perhaps more obvious than one might like; the opening of the first movement, in particular, was clearly written by a composer who had recently heard Varèse’s Intégrales for the first time. I hope, however, that they stand up on their own terms; they certainly represent an important milestone in my development as a composer, and contain the seed of a lot of the music I have composed in the years since I wrote these pieces.

Year: 2009
Duration: 4′
Instrumentation: Mixed Ensemble (2cl – 2vln.2vla)

Performances

7th May 2009
Leigh Coggins, Randi Røssaak (Soprano), Anne Morris (Clarinet), Naomi Pitts ( Clarinet), Drew Balch (Viola), Martin Wray (Viola), Edward Nesbit (Conductor)
Wigmore Hall

14th May 2008
Steve Willey (Narrator), James Burke (Clarinet), Tagore Gonzalez (Clarinet), Drew Balch (Viola), Gregory Felton (Vibraphone), Edward Nesbit (Conductor).
Openned Poetry Readings, Old Street

5th April 2008
Emilie Brégeon (Soprano), Hannah Laurence (Clarinet), Tagore Gonzalez (Clarinet), Drew Balch (Viola), Gregory Felton Vibraphone), Edward Nesbit (Conductor)
Wigmore Hall