SKU: ST.Y274

ISBN 9790220223358.

1st perf: Keisuke Okazaki, Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 22 April 2008
1st UK perf: Darragh Morgan, Schott Recital Room, Bauer & Hieber, London, 5 February 2009

Though the jagged figures and phrases of Lucky's Dream by Morgan Hayes are unmistakably those of a contemporary musical expressionist, the shadow of Bach also falls on this work, inspired by the virtuosity of the young Japanese soloist Keisuke Okazaki and his playing of the E major Partita.

In fact, though 'standard' contemporary techniques are widely used in the piece - left-hand pizzicato, harmonics and microtones, all deployed in edgy, unpredictable rhythms - there is also a classical shape to the structure. In this two-part form, lasting around four minutes, the first section is reflective, dwelling on single notes, phantoms as it were of pitches that are subtly deflected through slow glissandi. Then a spectral dance ensues, delivered largely on plucked strings, ethereal, disembodied, strange.

The 'Lucky' in question is a character from Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot, and Lucky's Dream is a complementary work to the earlier, impassioned Lucky's Speech (2006). The two items can stand alone or may be performed consecutively. Both are to be found on the recent all-Hayes CD released on the NMC label (NMC D163), which also features the composer's 17-minute Violin Concerto as further evidence for his original approach to writing for the instrument.

SKU: HL.48181468

UPC: 888680842420. 9x12 inches.

“Maurice Hauchard (1870-1957) was a French violinist and composer. As a minor composer, often in the shadow of his contemporary, Maurice Ravel, much of Hauchard's music is not widely known. However, his Methodical Study of Positions for Violin remains popular to improve violinist's technique. As an excellent, versatile musician Hauchard loved his art and remains one of the greatest contributors to music education. The fourth volume of Methodical Study of Positions addresses the sixth and seventh positions in detail, through exercises which enable progression using intervals, scales, arpeggios, chromaticism and varying rhythms. All violinists should seek to purchase this Hauchard study series to ensure technical progression to a high level.&rdquo.