Orchestra 9-13

TTBBGbCb,SubCb

SAATBGbCb, Opt SubCb. Steve says: ' Like most contrabass sections, the one in Helen Hooker’s Thames Valley Recorder Orchestra sometimes feels that its crucial role in the band can sometimes be under-appreciated! One of their number, Gillian Cooke, suggested that I arrange this famous number from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, a challenge I was pleased to rise to! The subcontrabass part is not essential, but is very nice to have. By the way, if you are looking for a recording of this number, it might be helpful to know that its official title’ is ‘When a Felon’s Not Engaged In His Employment’ '

TTBGbCbCb opt.SubCb. Sweet Suffolk Owl - Balulalow (Lullaby) - The Female Highwayman. Steve says: 'I wrote this set of pieces for the Mellow Tones Recorder Orchestra (METRO), Helen Hooker’s eight-foot recorder orchestra - hence the unusual combination of instruments. METRO rehearses near Stevenage, and I found that the composer Elizabeth Poston was born, lived and died in that town. So writing music related to Stevenage became a possibility, although the relationship turned out not to be all that obvious, and is too involved to go into here! Suffice it to say that I was variously inspired by Elizabeth Poston's choice of sources, and I hope that I managed to unite everything into a coherent suite by using a definite hint of jazz, and some similar and exciting rhythms. Please note that I used none of Elizabeth Poston’s own music - just as well, because she will remain in copyright for some years! Performance time is about eight minutes.'

SoSSAATTBBGbCb opt SubCb. Big waves and a small boat - The views from the Coast Path - Bonfire Night on the beach - Late at night, on the Cobb. Steve wrote this substantial (seventeen-minute) suite at the request of Josée Beeson for a course held at Victoria House in Lyme Regis in early 2020. The conductor was Tom Beets. The music is quite tricky in places, not least because much of it is jazzy - fast and swung. The course was for one-to-a-part playing, although the piece will also work fine with larger forces. The contrabass in C part is desirable, but optional.

SnoSSAATTBBGbCb + harpsichord. Steve says: "I played in a recorder orchestra that included the renowned keyboard player Rosemary Robinson. Perhaps surprisingly there is not very much music for such a combination of instruments, and Burlesque was one of the pieces I wrote to fill the gap. The orchestra was a good one, Rosemary is a fine player, and everyone wanted to be tested to an extent, and so this quirky and vigorous piece is not at all easy.

SATTBBGbCb. More powerful and sonorous than the SATB original.

SoSSAATTBBGbSubCb. Written for the tenth anniversary of her Thames Valley Recorder Orchestra (TVRO) and essentially a set of variations on the inevitable 'Happy Birthday', moving through a bewildering selection of musical styles. The piece is reasonably difficult to play, at the standard of a typical British recorder orchestra.

SSAATTBBGbCb. A relaxed piece of jazz for ten recorders, written in straight quavers and the tempo is modest. There are opportunities for improvisation for descant, treble and bass, although written-out alternatives are also provided.

SoSATTBGbCbCb theremin

SSAATTBBGb optCb

11 SoSSAATTBBGbCb

Sno.S.S.A.A.T.T.B.B.Gb.C. This piece was commissioned for the SRP Festival 2023