Clarinet Sonata
Following its premiere at Chapel Royal, Brighton, my Clarinet Sonata has had several performances with Steve Dummer (Clarinet) and Yoko Ono (piano). Meanwhile I typeset my Concerto for Clarinet and Strings (written, like the Sonata in the 1970s!) which was given its first performance by Steve Dummer and the Musicians of All Saints.
More recent (2016) for clarinet (+ ‘cello and piano) is the 3 movement ‘In Touch’: ‘Touching In’, ‘Don’t Touch’ and ‘Touch and Go’ which was also premiered by Steve Dummer with players from Talkestra.
The Sonata has now been recorded, with much of my other clarinet music – including the trio and the concerto, on the ‘Simplicius’ CD
Coming up
On the 20th February in Kingston will be the first performances of an extraordinary dual commission: myself and Cecilia McDowall setting the same poem. The poem, ‘The Silk Road’ by Sarah Pope, was commissioned, like the music, by violist and music publisher John Harding in memory of his sister. John worked for many years in China for the BBC – hence the Silk Road connection. The settings are for voice with violin, viola, ‘cello and piano.
On 1st March my ‘Sonata Serenata’ (1988) for flute and piano gets its premiere at St John’s Hampstead in a lunchtime concert given by Nancy Ruffer (flute) and Dominic Saunders (piano). Like the Clarinet Sonata, which was premiered last year, this piece has had to wait for its first outing but couldn’t have a more distinguished soloist!
Portions of Eternity
Portions of Eternity is a new song cycle.
Rintrah Roars (for voice, harp and piano), an extract from William Blake’s ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell’, was written in 2016 and first performed by April Fredrick and the Riot Ensemble. I have now rewritten that song (without harp) and added two more – ‘The Bard’ and ‘Thel’ – calling the cycle Portions of Eternity.The title is taken from Blake’s words: ‘The roaring of lions, the howling of wolves, the raging of the stormy sea and the destructive sword are portions of eternity too great for the eye of man.’
Blake’s astonishing texts have often been a source of musical ideas for me: Urizen (viola with piano or string orchestra) was written in 1983 and was followed by This World (for choir and 2 trumpets) in 1994 and Fuzon (string quartet) in 2012.
Fuzon in Bath
The Piatti Quartet played ‘Fuzon’ at the Old Theatre Royal, Bath on Saturday 10th December in a concert which also included Haydn, Frank Bridge and Schubert.
2016 PERFORMANCES and NEWS
A new William Blake inspired piece, Rintrah Roars for soprano (April Fredrick), harp and piano was premiered on October 29th at a wildly diverse concert by the Riot Ensemble, including works by Lee Westwood, Laurence Osborn, Yukiko Watanabe and many members of New Music Brighton.
On 26th October, Tri (three movements for six violas) was played (superbly and enthusiastically!) at the London Guildhall School of Music viola day. It has also been performed in Spain and Wales (the Royal Welsh College of Music).
My Clarinet Sonata was premiered (after nearly 50 years!) by Steve Dummer (clarinet) and Yoko Ono (piano) at the Chapel Royal, Brighton on 18th October
Fuzon was performed on 31st July as part of the Brighton Philharmonic chamber music series by the string quartet Roland Roberts and Ani Batikian (violins), Morgan Goff (viola) and Peter Adams (‘cello).
‘This was certainly the most challenging, and probably the most satisfying work in the programme for the players’ – Lark Reviews
The first performance of the new Touch and Go (3rd movement of ‘In Touch’ for clarinet, ‘cello and piano) was premiered by the terrific Talkestra group in Brighton on 2nd July.
Looking Back was played in London at a Schubert Society of Great Britain concert on 4th May by Siân Philipps and Per Rundberg in a programme also featuring the Enescu 3rd sonata.
Stranger, Lover, Dancer was played by Alice Neary at the Presteigne Festival on 28th August in a programme including works by Bach, Dutilleux and Robert Saxton.
Americana (three pieces for five flutes) had its first performance on 18th March in ‘Music and Wine at St Luke’s’, Brighton, performed by Sussex Flutes.
Stranger, Lover, Dancer for solo ‘cello was performed by Jessie Ann Richardson at the Brickwall Music Society in Sussex on 19th February.
John Hawkins studied composition with Malcolm Williamson and Elisabeth Lutyens. He has written a wide range of chamber, vocal, choral and orchestral pieces, which have been performed worldwide.