A concert given in Salisbury Cathedral
Elly Ameling (soprano)
Northern Sinfonia Orchestra
Leader, Christopher Hirons Conducted by George Malcolm
Part 1
Roger Smalley writes:
My Variations for Strings were written in 1964 and are scored for a moderately sized ensemble of twenty-two players. The theme is varied harmonically (as in Beethoven and Brahms) and not melodically (as in Mozart). All six variations are strongly contrasted and the total effect is of a series of short character pieces. The final variation (Adagio) is made up of fragments from the preceding five, contrapuntally combined. It is followed by a coda in which the basic harmonies of the theme reappear in their original form.