Compositions in full flow

Compositions in full flow

The year 2011 has been one of extraordinary compositional activity for John McCabe. Having written the Clarinet Quintet La Donna for Linda Merrick/ Kreutzer Quartet; a Horn Quintet (David Pyatt/Sacconi Quartet); a short orchestral prelude (A Sounding Chord) for the opening of the Novello Bicentenary Concert at the RFH (LPO/David Hill); Silver Nocturnes for baritone and string quartet (commissioned in memory of Simon Boosey, and to be performed by Marcus Farnsworth/Alberni Quartet); and a short solo piano work, Berceuse, to be played by himself at the Birmingham Chamber Music Society in Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham on 18th February 2012, John McCabe is now embarking on a Trumpet Concerto, to be followed by another string quartet, his seventh.

A review of the Horn Quintet appears on the web magazine Classical Source: www.classicalsource.com

New Recordings

Several recordings have also been released, or are in the pipeline.

A CD was released by Toccata Classics (TOCC 0139) of McCabe's Farewell Recital, at the Presteigne Festival in 2010, and has received outstanding reviews. The recording, which omits two items from the concert previously recorded elsewhere, consists of Schubert's haunting Sonata in A minor D 784, and the Ravel Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, along with John Casken's The Haunting Bough, and Emily Howard's Sky and Water. McCabe's own massive Tenebrae, written in memory of three musical friends who died in the same year - Sir Charles Groves, William Mathias and Stephen Oliver, completes the disc.

Reviews of the Toccata Classics CD appeared in the November 2011 issue of International Record Review and on the web magazine Classical Source (October 22nd 2011).

Just about to be released is a CD of McCabe's music for piano duo, performed by Joseph Tong and Waka Hasegawa (Piano 4 Hands). The CD has been given the title of the first work, Upon Entering a Painting, for piano duo, which was prompted by McCabe's response to an exhibition of works by Mark Rothko. Other works on the disc are Two Scenes from Edward II (The French Court / The Barons) from his ballet Edward II; Basse Danse, and two solo piano works: Gaudí (Study No 3) performed by Waka Hasegawa, and Sonata (Study No 12 - Homage to Tippett) performed by Joseph Tong. The CD is on Quartz QTZ 2088.

In the pipeline, to be released probably in February 2012, is a CD to appear on Guild, of clarinet chamber music, with Linda Merrick/Kreutzer Quartet, with Aaron Shorr (piano). The works will include the new Clarinet Quintet, La Donna, Fauvel's Rondo, Movements, and the Sonata for Clarinet, Cello and Piano.

A CD of McCabe's choral music (a capella or with organ accompaniment) performed by the BBC Singers under David Hill, with Iain Farrington (organ), is also awaiting release, while a Dutton recording is planned for February, of McCabe works for chamber orchestra or large chamber group, to include Les Martinets Noirs, Rainforest I and Rainforest II.