The First Spring Day (D (orT))
MHE 10620 £5.00
if the sap is stirring 
frozen snowdrops
sore in doubt
the spring-tide
both lost and dear
sing, hope, to me!
Spring must dawn again
till I too blossom
The First Spring Day is a set of fairly straightforward solos, inspired by verse of the same name by the English poet Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). The inspiration was rather indirect, by taking eight fragments from the poem – fragments that suggested musical ideas to me. Performance time of all eight pieces is about nine minutes.
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Partita For Solo Tenor Recorder (T)
MHE 20206 £5.00
Pastoral
Blues
Triptych
Theme & Variations
Chant
Calypso
Sometimes calm, sometimes fast and rhythmic, but always interesting for player and audience alike. There are six varied movements which will challenge even a good player.
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Partita For Solo Treble Recorder (Tr)
MHE 20206a £6.00
A rearrangement for solo treble of the above.
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Partita For Solo Bass Recorder (B)
MHE 20206b £6.00
A rearrangement for solo bass of the above.
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Three Studies for Bass Recorder and Piano (B Piano)
MHE 11204 £5.00
I
II
III
These little studies lengthen the small list of pieces for bass recorder and piano. If the piano part is played with care, the pieces could also be played on a contrabass recorder, which lengthens a very short list indeed. Quite difficult in places.
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Sonatina (Latin Postcards) for Bass Recorder and Spinet (B Spinet)
MHE 10305 £5.00
I
II
III
The three movements of this Sonatina are very rhythmic and a little exotic - I had in mind postcards from somewhere warm and probably Spanish-speaking. The spinet part could be played on any other keyboard instrument. The bass recorder part could be played on a treble recorder an octave up; please contact me for a treble clef part. Latin Postcards was written for Caroline Jones and Rosemary Robinson, and is rather difficult (especially rhythmically).
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Two Anthems (T Gtr)
MHE 10207 £5.50
No 1
No 2
These two reflective pieces were written for Justine Spence, to perform during Communion. The guitar accompaniment is of moderate difficulty. The following piece (MHE 10207a) has the accompaniment on piano (on which it is considerably easier).
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Two Anthems (T Piano)
MHE 10207a £5.50
This is the above piece, but with piano accompaniment, rather than guitar.
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Four Miniatures for Bass Recorder and Piano (B Piano)
MHE 30905 £5.75
I
II
III
IV
Following the perhaps surprising popularity of the Three Studies for this combination, these are four more pieces which give a bass player something interesting and quite dramatic in places. Inevitably breathing is a challenge, but these are not difficult pieces.
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Just a Minute (Gtr Recr(DTrTB one player))
MHE 61206 £6.50
Hector's House
Billy's Bag
Phew
The Brow Of The Hill
Under The Radar
James And The Magic Chord
The Last Straw
I wrote Just A Minute for Duo Ricercare - Andrew Collis and Graham Roberts. There are seven rather challenging pieces, each lasting exactly one minute.
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Concertino Omnibus (Tr Piano)
MHE 10415b £7.50
Chanson d'Amour
Waltz
Dance
Although a tricky solo part is only to be expected in a concerto, I wanted to break the mould and write a concerto where the solo part would be playable by a reasonable player, as opposed to a star! Then, with a straightforward orchestral accompaniment the piece would be within reach of a large number of ensembles. This three-movement, eight-minute concertino is the result, and it is dedicated to my wife Ann, who was the first soloist. This version is an arrangement of the concertino for treble and piano. The pieces MHE10415 and MHE10415a are versions where the accompaniment are for two sizes of recorder orchestra.
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Trio for Recorder, Guitar and Harpsichord (D/T, Gtr, Hrps)
MHE 30110 £8.00
Introduction & Allegro
Andantino
Finale
Ruth Burbidge plays in a trio which can muster the unusual instrumentation of recorder, guitar and harpsichord. Unsurprisingly there is very little music available for this combination of instruments, and my trio is hence a big fish in a tiny pond. The trio is a rather radical rewrite of my Trio Sonata for two recorders, piano and cello (MHE 30208). This eight-minute piece is quite difficult.
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The Sicilian Defence (B/GtB spinet)
MHE 51208 £8.50
I wrote The Sicilian Defence for the duo of Caroline Jones and Charles Matthews. The recorder player moves from great bass to bass and then back again, although the part could conceivably be played on great bass only. The spinet part could be played on harpsichord or piano, while taking care not to drown the recorder. The title refers to a well-known chess strategy, which often produces exciting games. My game starts quietly, and ends with a long and dour end-game. In between, there is considerable cut-and-thrust, with occasional pause for thought. Quite a difficult piece.
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