David Matthews: Music for Solo Violin and Viola, Volume Three
David Matthews and Peter Sheppard Skærved have been collaborating on a series of works for violin and viola for many years now, with Matthews setting Sheppard Skærved formidable technical challenges, and Sheppard Skærved surprising Matthews by finding a way to overcome the difficulties in his path. Behind all the pyrotechnics, this partnership is generating one of the largest, and most musically rewarding, body of compositions for violin and viola by any living composer. Many of Matthews’ pieces record his experience of nature or offer tributes to friends, with the works heard in this third volume also tracing a journey from darkness to light.
Peter Sheppard Skærved, violin and viola
Listen To This Recording:
- Fantasia for Viola, Op. 5 No. 1 (1970, rev. 2003) (8:52)
- Darkness Draws In for Viola, Op. 102 (2006) (8:26)
Arctic Suite for Viola, Op. 172 (2024) (10:14)
- I. First Northern Song (1:34)
- II. Mountains (2:26)
- III. Northern Lights (2:50)
- IV. Snow (1:46)
- V. Second Northern Song (1:38)
Three Birthday Pieces for Violin, Op. 167 (2023) (11:20)
- No. 1, For John Carewe (3:36)
- No. 2, For Robin Walker (4:14)
- No. 3, For William Howard (3:30)
Six Fantasias for Violin, Op. 147 Nos. 2-6 (2017) (17:43)
- No. 2, Capriccio – Fantasia (3:07)
- No. 3, Brno Fantasia (3:21)
- No. 4, Sibeliad (1:48)
- No. 5, Fantasia on Rachmaninov’s Prelude in G minor (3:38)
- No. 6, Midwinter Song (5:49)
- Dancing Shiva for Violin, Op. 160a (14:11)
First Recordings
Classical Music Daily :
‘The performance of the solo artist in [Fantasia for Viola] does not disappoint – his warm and somewhat throaty sound is much to my liking. […]
Peter Sheppard Skærved [in Arctic Suite for Viola] shows what a fine viola player he is. […]
I think he is an excellent writer of variations. The performances [of Three Birthday Pieces] are impeccable. […]
The original conception [of Dancing Shiva] had the composer envisaging a sitar, and the ornate, often florid passages that are sometimes meditative and almost improvisational in nature give rise to a very interesting and varied work. I like this work very much, as I am sure other listeners will.
Usually, a disk for a solo melody instrument would not really draw in my interest, but David Matthews’ music really appeals, and Peter Sheppard Skærved is a violinist I admire very much. The recorded sound is pleasing and the booklet has very useful and fascinating information by both the composer and his friend of twenty years, Peter Sheppard Skærved. I urge you to give this fine disk your attention. You will come away the richer.’
—Geoff Pearce, Classical Music Daily