Composer: David Matthews
Performer: Peter Sheppard Skærved
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0152
Release: 2013
Size: 230 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
3 Studies, Op. 39
01. No. 1. Andante appassionato
02. No. 2. Vivo e fantastico
03. No. 3. Lento – Allegro
15 Fugues, Op. 88
04. No. 1. Maestoso
05. No. 2. Scorrevole (For Mark)
06. No. 3. Moderato (For James)
07. No. 4. Lento (For Roger and Sophie)
08. No. 5. Allegro festivo (For Roxanna and Stephen)
09. No. 6. Molto moderato (For Isabelle)
10. No. 7. Con fantasia, come un uccello (For Rosamund on her 75th birthday)
11. No. 8. Allegro sostenuto (For Carl on his 65th birthday)
12. No. 9. Allegretto (For Judith on her 50th birthday)
13. No. 10. Largo (For Peter)
14. No. 11. Andante con moto (For William)
15. No. 12. Lento serioso (For Jarek on his 50th birthday)
16. No. 13. Allegro (For Colin)
17. No. 14. Andante – Vivacissimo (For Anthony and Helen)
18. No. 15. Molto moderato (For Jenifer)
19. Winter Journey, Op. 32
David Matthews’ Fifteen Fugues for solo violin, composed over four years between 1998 and 2002, constitute what is probably the largest set of violin fugues by a living composer. They also form an extended essay in musical portraiture, with each fugue ‘depicting’ its dedicatee. Like the Three Studies (1985) and Winter Journey (1982–83), a tone-poem for solo violin inspired by Schubert’s Winterreise, they pose extraordinary technical challenges to the performer. They are played here by the violinist for whom most of this music was written, Peter Sheppard Skærved. This release continues Toccata Classics‘ coverage of David Matthews‘ music, with two volumes of his string quartets already released to outstanding reviews.