The composer Howard Blake is still perhaps best known for one single piece of music, The Snowman. His famous song ‘Walking in the Air’ from it was the chart success that launched Aled Jones in 1985, whilst the concert version for narrator and orchestra is performed world-wide and the full-length ballet for Sadler’s Wells runs for a season every year in London. But Blake's extensive output is far more varied than this would lead you to believe.
For the early part of his career he wrote numerous film scores, including The Duellists with Ridley Scott, A Month in the Country, and of course The Snowman. But his output stretches from a Piano Concerto commissioned to honour Diana, Princess of Wales, large-scale choral works and chamber music.
I first met Howard in 2013 at a celebration for his 75th birthday at which he accompanied the brilliant young cellist Benedict Kloeckner in three works for cello and piano, two of which were created for Kloeckner. Now, ten years later, Howard and Benedict will be joined by Julian Trevelyan (piano), Lana Trotsovek (violin), Ian Byrne (viola), Boris Bijak (flute) and Andrew Marriner (clarinet) for a birthday celebration at St John's Smith Square on 10 May 2023 which includes three of trios, Violin Sonata and Piano Quartet.
Full details from the St John's Smith Square website.
%20Bill%20Smith_Norwich%20Cathedral.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment