UYMP University of York Music Press

New works by David Blake

1 March 2004

David Blake's most recent works are two song cycles on the same theme: settings of Chinese poems in his own English versions. The Lonely Wife is a theatre (or concert) piece for soprano, flute and percussion (all female performers), duration 16 minutes, and The Lonely Wife II is for mezzo and guitar, duration 8 minutes.

His 4th String Quartet has been commissioned by the Northern Aldborough Festival for the Sorrell Quartet and will receive its premiere in Aldborough church on 8 July 2004. Blake has been characterised by Robert Saxton as "an example of an increasingly rare breed of creator; he has a technical range and command covering every aspect of composition; he is one of the very few contemporary composers who still write powerfully expressive counterpoint, and his melodic invention, ability to characterise musical ideas and his gift for music drama combine to make him a very complete artist".

More news