The Twentieth is my lost quartet.  At the time of writing (27/9/2020), I am reasonably confident that the autographs of Nos. 3, 5, 13, 14 and 19, and the surviving first violin part of No. 1, will at some point turn up in the ongoing clear-out of a staggeringly chaotic loft; and, even if they fail to do so, every one of them could be re-created with a fair degree of fidelity (although No. 13 might take a bit of recomposing).

String Quartet No. 20, however, was composed in a single day, on June 26th 1992, partly to celebrate my 10,000th day (the more fortunate 29th Quartet was in similar fashion the product of my 20,000th) and partly to discover whether such a thing could be done.  Sadly, such rapid gestation leaves very little imprint upon the memory.  I recall the key sequence of the movements (Bb, D, G minor and Bb); the fact that the work began rather unusually with a minuet (a scheme motivated, again, by curiosity); that the slow movement was a set of variations on Happy Birthday To You, the last appearance of which mutated into an extensive quote from Haydn's 88th Symphony; the first four bars of the scherzo; and an eight-bar passage in the finale (3:05-3:12) which I had sketched some three years earlier and which I had been waiting to use.  And that is all that is left of the Twentieth Quartet. 

The autograph short score was one of several works which I left for safekeeping with my parents-in-law before our FCO posting to Malawi in 2001.  It was written on a somewhat outsized sheaf of manuscript paper which would not fit snugly alongside its fellow quartets in the bedside chest of drawers, and so was accommodated instead in a rather chaotic wardrobe.  It was still there in January 2002, which was the last time I ever saw it.  When I made my last visit to the house in August 2004, following the break-up of my marriage, I recovered my other quartets from the drawers; but I was reluctant in the circumstances to make too indelicate an excavation of the wardrobe, and I left it for another time.  Since then my ex-wife, who has always been scrupulously conscientious in the return of property, has made two searches for the piece, but without luck; and, since May 2018, I have reluctantly recognised its probable consignment to oblivion.

In anticipation of such a consignment, I began in April that year an extensive re-composition of the remembered plan.  I started with the slow movement, whose main theme made it by default the most memorable and extensive of the fragments.  The project progressed slowly, and the new quartet was completed on September 26th 2020.  On the whole, I think that it has benefitted from both the work-over and the leisure.  I am pleased with the more sophisticated opening minuet (again, based somewhat loosely on Happy Birthday) and its dark Bb minor Alternativo, and with the scherzo and its two trios; neither movement would have lent itself very readily to the original pace of composition.  And I thoroughly enjoyed composing the finale, and I think it shows.

Should my missing quartet ever by some miracle turn up after all, the current work will be re-designated Number Thirty, and any subsequent quartet composed in the meanwhile will be bumped along one place accordingly.

As far as I can recall, the original quartet rather unusually bore no dedication.  The new version is dedicated to my University friend and fellow-composer Rupert Feld.

String Quartet No. 20, in B flat major (1992, lost; re-composed 2020)

Clarinet and Piano Sonata in three movements describing "Schoolyard Games" of childhood.
 - Movement 1 - Allegro Vivace
   * "Hide and Seek". 
 - Movement 2 - Andante alla Marcia
   * "Follow the Leader". A simple march theme and variations
 - Movement 1 - Allegro Vivace
   * "Tag, you're IT!". A fast and playful final movement.

CLARINET SONATA #1 in B-flat Major

Symphony in B Flat Major

William Drury conducts the NEC Symphonic Wind Ensemble in a performance of Mozart's Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major. Recorded live in Jordan Hall October 22, 2013 by Jeremy Sarna.

Mozart: Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major "Gran Partita"

Mozart Sonata in B flat Major K570

Live at Milton Court Concert Hall, 1st July 2016

Bach Partita no.1 in B-flat major

Mendelssohn Piano Trio performing live at National Gallery of the Art on February 5, 2017 at 12 PM
Franz Schubert Piano Trio in B-flat major, D. 898, Op. 99
     I. Allegro moderato
     II. Andante, un poco mosso
     III. Scherzo: Allegro
     IV. Rondo: Allegro vivace
Peter Sirotin, Violin; Fiona Thompson, Cello; Ya-Ting Chang, Piano
Recording Engineer: John Conway

Franz Schubert Piano Trio in B-flat Major D898 Op99

Mozart - Violin Sonata No. 26 in B-flat major, K. 378

Clarinet Quintet in B Flat major

Prokofiev 
Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84
I. Andante dolce
II. Andante sognando
III. Vivace

Sergei Prokofiev - Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84

Movement 2 - Andante alla Marcia
* Follow the Leader depicted by theme and variations.

Clarinet Sonata #1 Mov 2 "Follow the Leader"

Movement 1 - Allegro Vivace
* A playful game of Hide and Seek

Clarinet Sonata #1 Mov 1 "Hide and Seek"

Clarinet Sonata #1 Mov 3 "Tag you're IT!"

Mozart: Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major-Largo   Allegro molto

Mozart: Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major-Menuetto

Mozart: Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major-Adagio

Mozart: Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major-Menuetto  Allegretto

Mozart: Serenade for Winds no 10 in B flat major-Romanze  Adagio

Prokofiev 
Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84
I. Andante dolce
II. Andante sognando
III. Vivace

Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 8 — III. Vivace

Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 8 — II. Andante sognando

Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 8 — I. Andante dolce

Symphony Movement I

Symphony Movement II

Symphony Movement III

Symphony Movement IV

Allegretto

Adagio

Menuets 1&2

Sarabande

Corrente

Allemande

Praeludium

Mendelssohn Piano Trio performing live at National Gallery of the Art on February 5, 2017 at 12 PM
Franz Schubert Piano Trio in B-flat major, D. 898, Op. 99
     I. Allegro moderato
     II. Andante, un poco mosso
     III. Scherzo: Allegro
     IV. Rondo: Allegro vivace
Peter Sirotin, Violin; Fiona Thompson, Cello; Ya-Ting Chang, Piano

MPT Schubert Bflat Trio D898 Mvt4

MPT Schubert Bflat Trio D898 Mvt3

MPT Schubert Bflat Trio D898 Mvt2

MPT Schubert Bflat Trio D898 Mvt1

ll. Andantino

5'' Run - Off

A M Bell - String Quartet No 20 (I - Menuetto: Andante con Brio)

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 20 (II - Adagio Molto)

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 20 (III - Scherzo: Vivace ma non troppo e leggiero)

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 20 (IV - Finale: Presto Gioioso)

Born 1965, lifelong lover of music.  Have been picking out little tunes from 5, and attempting seriously to compose since 12.  Generally (although not exclusively) happiest writing in the manner of late-18thC/early 19thC, but very happy to listen to pretty nearly any music.  String quartets a speciality, although not entirely sure why.  No plans to give up the day job (secondary school Support for Learning Assistant) or the weekend job (Choirmaster at St. Magnus's Cathedral, Kirkwall).

Art Director, Animator, and I dabble in music.

New England Conservatory educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, drawing on the talent and deep reservoir of experience of our distinguished faculty. We are dedicated to inculcating the highest standards of excellence and nurturing individual artistic sensibility and creative growth. Understanding that music is one of the transcendent expressions of human civilization, NEC aspires to ensure it a central place in contemporary society. Additionally, we present over 1,000 free concerts a year in our world class performance spaces which include historic Jordan Hall.

Since its founding in 1997, the MENDELSSOHN PIANO TRIO has performed over 500 concerts in the US, Europe and Asia. The group has also recorded 15 CDs including most recently a cycle of the complete Haydn Piano Trios released on Centaur Records. The Mendelssohn Piano Trio's extensive repertoire of over 100 works embraces music from all periods of the genre's history. Ensemble members are superb soloists in their own right, having enjoyed diversified musical careers that transcend international boundaries and range from solo appearances with various orchestras to chamber music collaborations with such artists as Earl Carlyss, Ann Schein, Ronald Leonard, Igor Zhukov, Natalia Gutman, as well as many other musicians of international stature. 

Pianist, Ya-Ting Chang is from Taiwan; violinist, Peter Sirotin is from Ukraine; and cellist, Fiona Thompson is from England. The Washington Post described their Brahms as “unfathomably beautiful” and “electrifying,” while praising their “technically immaculate” and “rich in psychological insight” Tchaikovsky. American Record Guide hailed the Mendelssohn Piano Trio’s recording of Smetana and Suk piano trios as “brilliant,” and Fanfare magazine lauded their recording of complete Haydn Piano Trios as “bracing as a breath of crisp winter air, enlivening and rejuvenating in a way that earlier performances were not.” European reviewers noted “freshness and energy” in “rarely emotional” interpretations of Haydn piano trios, while Audiophilia magazine praised these recordings as “warm, sonorous and lively.” The Mendelssohn Piano Trio performances and recordings can be frequently heard on many classical radio stations including NPR’s Performance Today.