Orchestra 9-13

11 SoSSAATTBBGbCb. This five-minute tone poem by Ann Marshall is of no more than moderate difficulty. It suggested itself to her when visiting Goodrich (or, a thousand years ago 'Godric's') Castle, in the Wye Valley. The (Royalist) castle was besieged during the English Civil War and Alice Birch, niece of one of the besieging forces fled to the castle to be with her sweetheart. The story goes that when it was clear that the castle would fall, the two tried to flee across the River Wye on horseback, but were swept to their deaths. The story further goes that their ghosts can sometimes be seen in the castle, looking out across the valley, and that they can even sometimes be seen urging a ghostly horse into the Wye. It's a great tale, and while the piece is not supposed to represent the details of the story, hopefully it conjures up a suitable atmosphere.

Orch SoSSAATTBBGbCb. The many people who enjoy Ann's tuneful music will be eager to try this 4-movement Sinfonietta. The piece may currently occupy a category all of its own, as it is a substantial piece for orchestra which is nevertheless easy to play - it is well within the capabilities of a group such as an SRP branch. Both players and audience will warm to its sunny disposition, presented within the familiar framework of a traditional symphony.

SoSAATTBBGtBCtB -

SoSAATTBBGbCb

1 So 8xS 10xA 10xT 6xB 3xGb 2xCb. Written for the 40th anniversary concert of the Stockport Recorder College, at the request of Janice Ormerod. The Roaring Forties are the prevailing winds which whip around the southern hemisphere at 40 degrees latitude; their danger, however, is not just that the winds are strong, but that the weather is so unpredictable. So the 5-minute span is boisterous in many places, but in other places you may be able to picture the swelling ocean and even - here and there - a patch of decent weather! Four descants, four trebles and four trebles have easy parts, while the other parts are no harder than moderate.

Orch: S, SoSSAATTBBGbCb. A set of variations for recorder orchestra on the traditional Irish folk song She Moved Through The Fair. Some variations are as one might expect (such as 'waltz' and 'canon'), but many are rather surprising (such as 'reggae' and 'jazz-rock'). All parts are guaranteed a very 'different' recorder experience in this substantial (15 minute) piece. Moderately difficult in places, and needs a very good descant soloist.

Bassoon & SoSSAATTBBGbCb. Steve wrote this 6 minute rhapsody for the bassoonist Harriet Oliver and the Thames Valley Recorder Orchestra. It is scored such that the bassoon is still prominent against a regular recorder orchestra, but the piece also works well using a one-to-a-part chamber recorder orchestra. The orchestral parts are reasonably straightforward, but the bassoonist needs to be pretty good.

11 SoSSAATTBBGbCb. Eileen Silcocks asked Steve to write something minimalist for a recorder orchestra, and he took his cue from the poem 'Treading The Cotswold Way' by Judy Kendall, about having walked too far, and now facing 'the long path home'. That trudging idea suggested the minimalist pulsing feel which permeates the piece. The notes or (for once) the rhythms are not at all difficult, but getting the right feel may be.

Orch: 41 GSno(2)D(8)Tr(8)T(8)B(8)Gtb(4)CtB(2) - 4x SSAATTBB, Garklein and SoSo, GbGbGbGbCbCb. Steve says: 'Written for the 2007 Northern Recorder Course, to use in a session involving all course participants. A big event seemed to call for a big piece, and this one is in 41 independent parts: four choirs of DDTrTrTTBB, the 'Tinnitus Consort' (garklein and two sopraninos), and 'Ensemble Rumblissimo' (four great basses and two contras). The piece is dedicated to Justine Spence, who encouraged me to write something "Honey Nut Loopy" - I hope I managed it! Spam In Atrium is very loosely based both on Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition, and also Tallis' 40-part motet Spem In Alium, but my 'pictures' are in a variety of approachable modern styles, including rock, jazz and minimalism. The high instruments (even the garklein!) must play nicely in tune. The notes in this 22 minute piece are not difficult, but everyone needs to count very carefully.'

Orch: 1 S + SoSSAATTBBGbCb. Composed for Helen Hooker, who gave it its first performance at the Cheltenham Recorder Festival in July 2005. There are passages where the recorder orchestra creates exciting, driving rhythms, spurring on the soloist to ever-more virtuosic display, but then other passages of reflective, beautiful music. Although the solo part is very difficult in places, the orchestral parts should cause little difficulty for most orchestras.

11 SoSSAATTBBGbCb. This piece was written for the chamber recorder orchestra on the 2008 Northern Recorder Course. It is tricky in places and calls for precise rhythmic playing. In principle it will also work well with a normal recorder orchestra, but much rehearsal may be needed! Total playing time is about 6 minutes.

Solo Chinese flute + SoSSAATTBBGbCb. Steve says: 'Written for Liu Yung-tai, who not only plays a prominent part in the busy recorder scene in Taiwan but is also a superb Chinese flute player. As far as both of us know, this is the first piece with such a combination of instruments. Each movement of what is effectively a concerto could be the soundtrack to a poem about elements of the natural world. Total playing time is about 11 minutes. The piece is written for a Chinese flute in C, but in the (likely) event of a suitable instrument and soloist being unavailable, the part fits on a treble recorder and the music works pretty well on that instrument.'