HELLAWELL
Russian Doll
for Trumpet in C and Piano
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
PIERS HELLAWELL (2017)
Russian Doll
for Trumpet in C and Piano
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
PROGRAMME NOTE
Russian Doll for trumpet and piano was commissioned by Brant Tilds with funds provided by the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust, and was premiered by him at The Bear Club, Luton on 20th June 2017 with Cheryl Frances-Hoad (piano). It formed part of his ‘Hindemith Goes Ape’ project, in which composers were invited to reflect upon that composer’s Sonata for Trumpet and also on the Eisenheim Altarpiece by Grunewald, that was central to Hindemith’s opera Mathis der Maler
Russian Doll is a six-minute duo for trumpet and piano. It explores a current preoccupation of mine in instrumental music, the revisiting of compressed/ expanded musical statements as the main formal action of a piece – like the unpacking (or packing) of a ‘Matryoshka’ doll, with its family of differently sized relatives. The piece does this in a simple way: we are presented with a set of three contrasting ideas – an insistent, repeated one, a fleet racing one and a Blues. This set is then revisited twice more, on a larger scale each time – so that each of the three ideas occurs three times, growing in scale. These three overall ‘panels’ of the three ideas – small, medium and large –are a nod to Grunewald’s fantastically elaborate altar-piece, though of course his panels are all in proportion, while mine grow each time. The opening one of the three ideas – an insistent two-note motif – is borrowed directly from Hindemith’s own Trumpet Sonata
Piers Hellawell 2017
Duration: 6 minutes
A version for B- trumpet is available separately as EP73104a
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
Version For perusal only
(open,holding plunger)
For perusal only
Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
For perusal only
For perusal only
For perusal only
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version
For perusal only
ISSUU Version For perusal only
Photo © Gerry Hellawell
Piers Hellawell
Piers Hellawell (b. 19 56) has worked with the Schubert Ensemble of London, Hilliard Ensemble, RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, for whom he wrote Dogs and Wolves (2006), among others worldwide. Works include: Cors de chasse, a concerto commissioned for Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet) and Jonas Bylund (trombone) by the Philharmonia Orchestra; Degrees of Separation, commissioned for the opening of The Sage Gateshead (2004); and Sound Carvings from the Bell Foundry for Stockholm Chamber Brass performing at festivals in Norway and Ireland. The Schubert Ensemble marked his 50th birthday with a performance. Hellawell is currently Professor of Composition at The Queen’s University of Belfast.
Piers Hellawell (*1956) hat mit vielen internationalen Ensembles zusammengearbeitet, darunter das Schubert Ensemble of London, das Hilliard Ensemble, das RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet sowie das BBC Scottish Orchestra, für das er Dogs and Wolves (2006) schrieb. Daneben entstanden Cors de chasse – ein Konzert für Håkan Hardenberger (Trompete) und Jonas Bylund (Posaune) im Auftrag des Philharmonia Orchestra, – Degrees of Separation zur Eröffnung des Kulturzentrums The Sage im englischen Gateshead sowie Sound Carvings from the Bell Foundry für Stockholm Chamber Brass zur Aufführung bei Festivals in Norwegen und Irland. Zu seinem 50. Geburtstag widmete ihm das Schubert Ensemble ein Konzert. Gegenwärtig ist Hellawell Professor für Komposition an der Queen’s University in Belfast.