SKU: HL.14008396

ISBN 9780711921337. 8.5x12.0x0.533 inches.

This work was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate its 40th birthday. The first performance took place in June 1986 at St. Magnus' Cathedral, Kirkwall, as part of the tenth St. Magnus Festival. Written for and first performed by Isaac Stern, Davies's Violin Concerto brings together two streams in his music: symphonism and folk-fiddling. In its strongly developed substance, it asks to be measured in the company of Beethoven, Brahms and Sibelius, while there is also, particularly in the middle movement, a strong element of the Scots lament. The orchestra is generally muted in colour, though there is a dramatic role for the timpanist. There are three movements, played without a break - this is only one of many connections with the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. Duration c. 30mins.

SKU: BT.EMBZ14893

The concerto was inspired by István Várdai's play and is dedicated to him. The triple movement structure and the character of the movements follow the patterns of classical concertos, while the thematic connections spanning the movements rather reflect the structural principles of Romantic symphonies. In the first movement, which resembles the form of a sonata, the characters of the themes are spectacularly separated. The motif of the main theme, constructed with glissandos, is supplemented by a theme the composer refers to as a motif of fate, and the two together form a significant contrast with the minor theme with its lyrical tone and the playful, ending themeresembling a children's song. The contrasts between depth and height, as well as darkness and light, have a significant role in all three movements. The music of the first movement gradually rises to increasingly bright and higher regions, the gloomy atmosphere of the marginal parts in the second movement is offset by the tune's transcendental light in its central part, while the rondo theme of the third movement with its 6/8 metre dance-like character is supplemented with motifs of a contrasting nature from the earlier movements.

SKU: BR.PB-5354

Bach's manuscript leaves several questions unanswered.

ISBN 9790004211533. 9 x 12 inches.

When an editorial formula proves to be as compelling as in the case of the E-major Concerto BWV 1042, then its obvious that it is going to be applied again: this time to Klaus Hofmanns new Urtext edition of the A-minor Concerto. Bachs manuscript leaves several questions unanswered. The slurring, particularly in the solo part, is once again equivocal and inconsistent. Bach himself expected his performers to be creative, which is why the interpretative suggestions of Baroque expert Sigiswald Kuijken are particularly welcome. The edition for violin and keyboard instrument (with continuo ad lib.) once again contains three violin parts (the first unmarked, the second with markings and comments by Sigiswald Kuijken, the third as a facsimile). This provides well-grounded stimuli for ones own personal interpretation based on historically informed performance practice. The keyboard arrangement by Siegfried Petrenz is transparent and easy to play. A violoncello part has been added for chamber-music.

Bac h's manuscript leaves several questions unanswered.