Polka Schnell F. Klar., 2 Vl., Vla., Vc.. Par STRAUSS JOHANN (FILS). Weil kultivierte Geselligkeit ohne Musik kaum denkbar ist, konnte das traditionsreiche Verlagshaus Doblinger kaum einen besseren Titel als 'Wiener Melange' für seine Reihe mit Alt-Wiener Tanzmusik wählen, in der effektvolle und gut spielbare Bearbeitungen populärer Kompositionen von Johann Strauß Sohn u. a. erschienen sind. Die Besetzung orientiert sich an den Gepflogenheiten bürgerlicher Haus- und Salonmusik - was dem ungarischen Fürsten die eigene Hofkapelle im Ballsaal seiner Wiener Residenz, war dem Geheimen Rat das Streichquartett im großbürgerlichen Salon (oft übernahm dabei der klangstärkere Kontrabass die Stelle des Cellos)./ Répertoire / Musique de Chambre

For Chamber Ensemble.Commissioned by the Hebrides Ensemble and first performed on their Scottish tour in March 2010.In Seven Pierrot Miniatures I took the Commedia dell’arte character Pierrot as my primary sourceof inspiration. Other more tenuous links to Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire also served as a starting point in forming the general shape of the work. The piece is cast in seven short movements whereas the Schoenberg comprises threesets of seven movements. Although there is no part for voice I have taken seven poems by Albert Giraud (none of them set in Pierrot Lunaire) as points of departure:1. The Clouds2. Decor3. Absinthe4.Suicide5. The Church6. Sunset7. The HarpEach movement takes its impetus from the corresponding poem but in the piece as a whole I wanted to explore the extreme contrasts of the multi-faceted character ofPierrot in a musical setting. There is an almost mirror-like quality to the form of the piece and a sense of ending where it has begun: movements 1 3 5 and 7 are closely linked both in terms of their musical material and asense of melancholy dream-like quality and longing. Movements 2 and 6 are also strongly connected with allusions to the more mischievous violent side of Pierrot. Movement 4 serves as a sort-of pivotal point within the work juxtaposing a surreal shimmering calm with brutal outbursts. There is never any direct repetition yet there is a strong sense of material returning and mutating as the workunfolds.InstrumentationFlute doubling piccoloClarinet in Bb doubling Bass Clarinet in BbViolin doubling ViolaCelloPiano