Par FREEMAN ALEX. Alex Freeman found initial inspiration for his string quartet (2015) in a series of photographs a geologist friend showed him of en échelon veins in rock formations. The open strings punctuated with pizzicato unisons that begin the single-movement work call to mind something crystalline and shimmering, which is immediately infused with tumbling lyrical lines in something of a rapid caccia technique throughout. The middle of the work becomes more suspended in slower material loosely based on a technique of prolation canon, comprises layers of free, expressive, lyrical, and even elegiac music moving at different speeds. As the work concludes, the materials converge in a rhythmically pulsating stasis and an almost chorale-like statement. Duration: c. 13' This product includes the score and the parts (A4 sized). American-Finnish composer Alex Freeman (b.1972) has established himself among the foremost composers of choral music in Finland. A dedicated citizen of his musical community, a teacher, and a choral singer himself, he composes music that reflects an appreciation for a wide range of aesthetics and a passion for communicating with listeners and performers. In his choral works, in particular, we find music that aims to be sonorous, melodic, and resonant, but is always crafted to carefully avoid the cliches that can burden conventional tonality. His instrumental works run the gamut: a cantata with orchestra based on poetry of Whitman; a significant body of solo piano works that reveal deep roots in everything from austere absolute music to soaring elegaic rhetoric (see Albany Records, Inner Voice); his chamber work Blueshift (Navona Records), which is a kind of paean to Reich and Adams in miniature; open-ended modular works, like various iterations of his Slow All Clocks for electronic media, solo clarinet, and mixed choirs of kanteles; and, recently, some new directions in microtonal music. / Date parution : 2022-05-31/ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes

for Solo Clarinet and 7 Players-This four movement work features the clarinet weaving melodies constructed in both Western equal temperenment and Persian modal systems. Most of the ensemble doubles on one or more instruments including the pianist and strings playing the chimes invarious passages. Premiered on January 16 2016 at the Segah Festival of Persian and Turkish Music.

Carnovale is a well known 19th Century melody popularised by variations on the theme by Paganini and then later by Italian clarinettist and composer Ernsesto Cavallini who wrote his own set of variations. This is aterrific arrangement by Pamela Weston re-scored for Clarinet in A accompanied by a String Quartet to form a wonderful encore for use in concerts.

This String Quartet along with other chamber works by Onslow is worthy of serious study alongside works of other composers of the period such as Beethoven. It has a lively and tuneful first movement a beautiful theme and variations (including a florid variation with an exciting part for 1st Violin) a pretty minuet and trio and a rousing final movement. All instruments have interesting parts.George Onslow an Anglo-French composer was born in Clermont-Ferrand in July 1784 and died there in October 1853. Three of his String Quintets and his Piano quintet are also published by SJ Music (Q1993-5 Q1991-1 Q1993-4 and Q2005-2).