Revisited
I have just rewritten the slow movement of my first string quartet for string orchestra as ‘Threnody’. An intense piece that alternates calm and lamentation.
Hear it on Soundcloud
Adding Up
On 18 November the Leto Ensemble (flute, clarinet and piano) gave the first performance of my Adding Up – four movements each of which uses a different interval + its inversion (1+8, 2+7, 3+6 and 4+5). ‘Adding Up’ was originally written only for flute and clarinet but the trio version, without changing the flute and clarinet parts, adds a piano part of equal importance. Either version may be performed!
Hear it on Soundcloud.
Fuzon
On October 28th the Piatti Quartet performed my ‘Fuzon’ string quartet. Based on the fiery character in Blake’s ‘Book of Ahania’, the quartet was written for the Piatti in 2012 and their recording of it can be seen on YouTube. The new performance is at the first concert in the Nicholas Yonge Society‘s 2022-23 season.
https://youtu.be/jFElZOSC6oU
Ingres’ Wife
My brass quintet ‘A Walk with Ingres’ Wife’ is now available from Edition Skellton.
Why the title? The first issue (June 1914) of the Vorticist movement’s journal ’Blast’ included an article by it’s editor Wyndham Lewis claiming that the wife of classicist painter Ingres would cover his eyes when out walking to protect him from anything ugly or banal. Of course The Vorticists relished anything of that sort.
The piece follows the artist and his wife on a promenade.
Yet Another Orpheus
On November 4th the Stane Street Sinfonietta played my ‘Another Orpheus’ for string orchestra in Horsham where the poet Shelley was born. The concert is part of a series devoted to the 200th anniversary of Shelley’s death. The title comes his drama ‘Hellas’ which was written in 1821 to raise awareness of the Greek War of Independence (during which Byron famously perished). From it I took the line ‘Another Orpheus sings again and loves and weeps and dies’.
(Also thinking of Orpheus, my ‘Looking Back‘ for violin and piano is being recorded this year by Siân Philipps.)
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.