University of York Music Press

The Flight of the Eagle 'The idea for this work sprang from an ancient Albanian proverb, 'The Eagle flies in the Sky, but makes its nest on Earth'. Although in no way programmatic, the music, amidst obstacles of varying degrees, alternates between flying and floating, and it is not until the end of the piece that the flight really takes off. It was obvious to me that this flight could be only for piano, and virtuosity here is very much part of the musical content, as are the rich sonorities of the instrument. In this context, the piece is part of a cycle of solo works - all of which aim towards a thorough exploration of the technical potentiality and the expressive qualities of their respective instruments. Composed in 2000, The Flight of the Eagle was given its world premiere by Ian Pace at York University; Ian also gave the London premiere at King's College, whereas Noriko Kawai gave both the American and Italian premieres (Minnesota University and Nuove Consonanze Festival in Rome).' ©TS Below is a recording of the piece performed by Joseph Houston as part of a recital at the Royal College of Music London: Capriccioso for Solo Violin 'Written in 2014, this work focuses exclusively on a single note - the drone? This particular sonority, ison, is ubiquitously present throughout the piece; not only does the music begin and end with it, but its echo is felt even when the actual sound is not heard! But it is always there in the background and it serves as a nucleus with a gravitational sonic power, around which the identity of the music is displayed. The title alludes to the genre of capriccio, in terms of both its free formal design and the overall character of the music, which invariably consists of rhythmic gestures with a high degree of virtuosity. And who better than its dedicatee, with whom I have collaborated for a number of years now, could give all these and much more!' ©TS