Miscellany II

Scott Roche, baritone
(uncredited pianist)

from Three Poems of Amy Clampitt for baritone and piano, op. 62a

The poet's lullaby addresses the nuclear arsenal.  My music is quiescent and fetching enough to encourage their slumbers, but there is a dangerous climax near the end.  Wonder at the "incorrigible sunrise."  (Whether that is a solar new dawn for humanity, or a man-made conflagration is something I always meant to ask the poet about, but never did!)  The pianist's long coda restores calm to the music.

A link to the poem.  (If it becomes inactive, please do let me know and I will try to find another.)

http://books.google.com/books?id=plPqF3hbcXkC&pg=PT138&lpg=PT138&dq=clampitt+berceuse&source=bl&ots=5sVaUisDm1&sig=MyqNrxraY3Qro7Ga-0ljwRqlsrs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2l0gVOiXEIyZyATy_4Bw&ved=0CCcQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=clampitt%20berceuse&f=false

Recorded in Natchez, Mississippi
2010 

Berceuse, from op. 62a (live)

Pablo Villegas, guitar

From Sketchpad for guitar, op. 4

The different registers of the guitar mimic sections of a circus band.  Why, even the percussion get in a few licks!

Recorded in New York City
2006

Circus Waltz; op. 4, no. 4

Nevsky String Quartet

The three movements are played without pause, the viola playing a transition into the slow movement, and second violin ushering in the finale.

1.  Valse interrompue.  The waltz is twice interrupted by slower music of a more rigorous, martial cast.
2.  Arioso.
3.  Gopak.  It was cheeky of me to share an American string quartet concluding with a Russian dance with this St. Petersburg-based (as in Nevsky Prospekt) quartet, but they loved the movement so much that they used it separately as an encore on their tours!

Recorded in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
2003



 

String Quartet no. 1, op. 13

A live broadcast during pandemic.

Valse de musette – Intermezzo I – Écossaise – Intermezzo II – An Hungarian in Paris

In the miniature tone poem An Hungarian in Paris, peasant takes his tune to the French capital, where it gets arranged into a can-can.  This becomes all the rage for a bit, but soon enough he is back in his village, recalling his grand succès in the City of Lights!

Souvenir de Nantes

Scores are available for study or performance for the asking, in pdf form or as hard copy.

VFrost2468@gmail.com

Circus Waltz; op. 4, no. 4

Victor Frost — composer