Performed by Rarescale artists: Carla Rees (Contrass Flute) Sarah Watts (Contrabass Clarinet) and Ashley Myall (Contra Bassoon 

This whimsical miniature is an exploration into the boisterous and playful capabilities of the contra instruments. I have taken my inspiration from the word “Romp” meaning rough
play.

Steven Frew - Romp

Steven Frew - Ravine

Carla Rees - Alto Flute (Kingma)

I noted down the ideas for this piece when I was attending a production of Prokofiev’s War & Peace. Although this piece has nothing to do with the opera, I was drawn to an idea discussed in the programme.
“Prokofiev once described his compositional style as an amalgam of five main lines – the classical, the innovative, the toccata, the lyric and the grotesque” Through the musical language in these two short movements I have attempted to embrace these ideals.

Steven Frew - Micro Sonata 1st Movt

Carla Rees - Alto Flute

I noted down the ideas for this piece when I was attending a production of Prokofiev’s War & Peace. Although this piece has nothing to do with the opera, I was drawn to an idea discussed in the programme.
“Prokofiev once described his compositional style as an amalgam of five main lines – the classical, the innovative, the toccata, the lyric and the grotesque” Through the musical language in these two short movements I have attempted to embrace these ideals.

Steven Frew - Micro Sonata 2nd Movt

Terrence Allbright - Piano

This short work for solo piano forms the first in a set of pieces inspired by various haiku. 

Wandering dreams. Alas!
Over fields all burned, the winds
Whisper as they pass!
   
Uejima Onitsura /      (1661 - 1738)

Steven Frew - Haiku I

Carla Rees - Baroque Transverse Flute
Recording of the first performance at IKLECTIK, London

I first imagined the idea to write a work for solo flute when visiting the Sanjūsangen- dō (     ) Temple in Kyoto. Amongst the vast collection of artefacts sits the impressive statue of the deity Karura. The original Sanskrit name of this deity is “Garuda”. In ancient India it was believed to be a gigantic bird which ate cobras and carried the Hindu deity Vishnu on its back. Later on Guruda was adopted in Buddhism as one of the eight guardians. The statues at Sanjūsangen-dō represents a fierce bird-headed figure with wings, playing the flute.
Using the baroque transverse flute I have attempted to evoke some of the characteristics of the Shakuhachi (Japanese flute). From the work’s still sonorous opening, the music gathers intensity throughout but sustains the superimpositions of melodic material which relate to the whole piece.

Karura - New Baroque

Steven Frew - Karura

Terence Allbright - piano

Toccata – The Twittering Machine was inspired by Paul Klee’s painting. Klee’s painting depicts several spindly birds attached to a mechanical handle, and are perceived to be screeching upwards into a murky background of blue and green hues.

Steven Laurence Frew

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