New Publications

by Steve

Three Catalan Madrigals (DTrTB) MHE 10226
This set comprises pieces composed in the country between France and Spain (nowadays around Andorra). The music was written towards the end of the 16th century. The pieces are interesting both in the rhythms, and because the sound often seems to hover between French and Spanish styles. Two of the pieces are by Joan Brudieu (1520-1591) and the other is by Matheo Flecha el Joven (1530-1604). Total performance time is about nine minutes.

by Ann

Seascapes (TTBBG^tBC^tB) MHE 10326
'Seascapes' are of moderate difficulty, suggesting four different motions of the seas. There are several sections that include staccatos - these should be carefully observed. Total playing time is about eleven minutes.

by Rosemary Robinson

ROSEMARY ROBINSON Luskentyre Suite (S^noDTrTrTTBBG^tBC^tB) MHE 10526
Luskentyre Suite is in five movements and was written early in 2025 in response to Josef Manser's request for a new work for his recorder orchestra in Switzerland. Josef himself suggested the title: Luskentyre beach on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides is one of his favourite places.

by Steve

The Super Contras (with a few other parts) (DTrTBG^tBC^tBSubC^tB) MHE 10626
This was a commissioned piece as part of the celebrations of a birthday. It is a light-hearted piece, where the contrabasses take important roles. The music is not particularly easy, not surprisingly because the music was provided for members of the Hampshire Recorder Sinfonia and Wessex SRP. For a suitable event and orchestra, the piece will be fun. Total playing time is about three minutes.

by Steve

A Day at Barry Island (DTrTrTTBBG^tBC^tB) MHE 11025
Early Morning 
Storm on the Beach 
Fun in the Arcade 
This piece was written for Helen Hooker, to conduct at the massed playing at the 2025 Recorder Summer School. There are three movements on the theme of Barry Island - a well-known and bustling holiday seaside resort on the coast of south Wales. The first movement suggests early morning on the beach, the second is boisterous and stormy, and the third looks at the many noisy arcades in the evening. I would say the piece is of moderate difficulty. The total playing time is about eleven minutes.

by Steve

Four Little Fugues (DTrTB) MHE 11125
These fugues are not particularly difficult. Each one (DTrTB) is designed to be quite different, and to show how fugues work. Another similar set is for TBGtCt (MHE11125a). Of course, J S Bach wrote plenty of wonderful fugues, but mine are slightly more modern! Total playing time is about five minutes.

by Steve

Four Little Fugues (TBG^tBC^tB) MHE 11125a
These fugues are not particularly difficult. Each one (TBGtCt) is designed to be quite different, and to show how fugues work. Another similar set is for DTrTB (MHE11125). Of course, J S Bach wrote plenty of wonderful fugues, but mine are slightly more modern! Total playing time is about five minutes.

by Steve

Basic Jazz Style (DTrTB optGtBCtB) MHE 20226
There is a tendency for recorder players to treat Jazz more like Gabrieli than Duke Ellington. The result tends to be most un-jazzlike. There are a few very important Jazz elements (such as swung quavers), but they are not hard to master. I have written seven (progressive) studies in Jazz style. At the end, it is perfectly possible for you to be playing like Duke Ellington himself!

by Steve

'The Shooting of his Dear' (Trad) (DTrTB optGtBCtB) MHE 20626
'The Shooting of his Dear' is a story that has been known in many parts of the world since before the 17th century, and with many various stories. My own take on it is that Jimmy (a hunter) fired his gun and shot his lover, Polly. He thinks to run away, but Jimmy's uncle suggests that he should stay, on the basis that he could never be hanged on such feeble evidence. If fact, Polly then appears as a ghost and says she is on Jimmy's side. In our own time, he would probably have been in prison for the rest of his life, but it's a powerful story. I have tried to make the story compelling, despite the brevity of the music. Thanks to Kamya Brake, who was the first to show me this fascinating piece. Total playing time is about three minutes.

by Steve

Canzonic Groove (DTrTB) MHE 21025
'Canzonic Groove' makes a little nod to the canzonas of hundreds ago. A typical Gabrieli canzona began with a minim and two crotchets, and that motif was often found throughout many canzonas of the period. I thought it would be interesting to write my own canzona, using that same idea. It's pretty jazzy, but I conducted it a few times, and it was well-liked, so here we are, It's not a long (or expensive) piece, so why not give it a try - you may well enjoy it!

by Steve

Four Sacred Choruses (TTBB) MHE 30626
Four Sacred Choruses, by Josef Foerster (1859 - 1951) were composed in 1943.These are short but interesting pieces, arranged by me in TTBB format. Total playing time is about five minutes..

by Ann

Four Fancies (DTrTrTBG^tBC^tB) MHE 31025
1 
2 
3 
4 
My set of four fancies comprises four pieces with four different time signatures and four different moods. Everyone is kept busy, particularly the big basses! The difficulty is a little more advanced that moderate. Total playing time is eleven minutes.

by Ann and Steve

Reading, Wrighting and A-rhythmetic (TTBBG^tBC^tB opt SubC^tBFF) MHE 40226
This piece was commissioned by Margaret Wright, who is a leading light in the recorder world in Australia. The piece was written by Steve and Ann. The music is not particularly difficult, but all players use larger instruments, and play over a lengthy time (more than thirteen minutes). Contrabasses in C and in FF are not common in the UK (and are not required by the piece), but their addition is very nice, if available.

by Ann

Recorder Septet No. 6 (DTrTTBGC^tB) MHE 40626
My sixth Recorder Septet is of moderate difficulty, with occasional tricky passages. It comprises four movements with a different feel to each one, due to both style and tempo. Total playing time is about 10 minutes.

by Steve

Bluesleeves (DTrTBG^tBC^tB) MHE 41025
Everyone knows the tune of 'Greensleeves'. I present the piece 'Bluesleeves' (which has some definite, but jazzy, similarities). It's written in a spirit of fun, but it still requires some careful jazz style.

by Steve

Three Movements for Sopranino and Orchestra (S^no TrTBBG^tBG^tBC^tB) MHE 50226
I wrote 'Three Movements' for Jackie Adams, an excellent player of the sopranino recorder. Unsurprisingly, the sopranino part is difficult, although not extremely so. The orchestra parts are not particularly difficult, so the whole piece (given an excellent sopranino) can be played by a normal recorder orchestra. The three movements run for about eight minutes.

by Ann

Recorder Septet No.5 (DTrTrTBG^tBC^tB) MHE 51025
Allegretto 
Adagio 
Andante 
Allegro 
My fifty Recorder Septet is of moderate difficulty (and occasionally tricky in places). There are four movements, with a different feel to each - not just in tempo. The piece works well one-to-a-part or in a larger group. The total playing time is about eleven minutes.

by Steve

Excuse My Blues (DTrTrTTBBG^tBC^tB) MHE 61025
This is an orchestral piece, in the style of a 12-bar blues. In brief 12-bar blues is a very form of blues, which has a clear structure of twelve simple chords. The 12-bar blues is still very popular. My blues follows the traditional form pretty closely, but I have slipped in a couple of unusual blues subtleties. See if you can spot them! Playing time is about four minutes.

by Steve

Concertino for Helen and Milton Keynes (soloD DTrTBG^tBC^tB) MHE 71025
1 
2 
3 
 
This concertino was written for a massed playing (70, I believe) at an event at Milton Keynes in 2025. The soloist was Helen Hooker. The playing session would be about 50 minutes, and we therefore had to rehearse and then perform the piece, without struggling to master difficult music. Of course, the soloist's part could be nicely difficult! It all worked out well. This all means that a group of players of no more than modest skill could play this three-part piece (as long as a very good player could play the solo part). Total playing time is about eight minutes.