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Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Cheryl Frances-Hoad
Sonatina (2016)
- Cadenza Music (World)
Programme Note
Sonatina was premiered at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London by Fenella Humphreys and Nicola Eimer on the 25th April 2019.
Sonatina is an arrangement of Songs and Dances for cello and piano.
Cheryl Frances-Hoad began her musical life as a cellist and composer, and her Violin and Piano Sonatina is a reworking of a cello piece she wrote in 2011 called Songs and Dances. It reverses the common fast-slow-fast movement plan, beginning with a slow first movement that is marked “Quietly dignified”. It explores the depths of the piano, with softly penetrating low notes, above which the piano and violin explore a two- bar motif in various forms. Stately in character, it has a feeling of space and grandeur.
The second movement is highly spirited, capriciously switching between irregular time signatures such as 7/8 and 5/8 and the more balanced 8/8 and 6/8. This creates an unpredictability and almost jazzy, dance-like quality. The violin’s harmonics above the rocking piano part add colour interest. A more expressive and expansive middle section is much fuller in texture, using rich piano chords and a cantabile violin melody, before giving way to a return of the livelier opening material. The third movement recalls the more sombre mood of the opening movement and uses syncopation and many changing time signatures to create ambiguity and a feeling of exploration and uncertainty. The melodic line rises to a huge climax, before beginning its descent, and after much harmonic tension and chromaticism, the work finishes its journey on a peaceful C-major chord.
© Nicola Eimer
Sonatina is an arrangement of Songs and Dances for cello and piano.
Cheryl Frances-Hoad began her musical life as a cellist and composer, and her Violin and Piano Sonatina is a reworking of a cello piece she wrote in 2011 called Songs and Dances. It reverses the common fast-slow-fast movement plan, beginning with a slow first movement that is marked “Quietly dignified”. It explores the depths of the piano, with softly penetrating low notes, above which the piano and violin explore a two- bar motif in various forms. Stately in character, it has a feeling of space and grandeur.
The second movement is highly spirited, capriciously switching between irregular time signatures such as 7/8 and 5/8 and the more balanced 8/8 and 6/8. This creates an unpredictability and almost jazzy, dance-like quality. The violin’s harmonics above the rocking piano part add colour interest. A more expressive and expansive middle section is much fuller in texture, using rich piano chords and a cantabile violin melody, before giving way to a return of the livelier opening material. The third movement recalls the more sombre mood of the opening movement and uses syncopation and many changing time signatures to create ambiguity and a feeling of exploration and uncertainty. The melodic line rises to a huge climax, before beginning its descent, and after much harmonic tension and chromaticism, the work finishes its journey on a peaceful C-major chord.
© Nicola Eimer