Geoff Palmer
composer
 

String Quartet No. 4: after Haydn (2009) 4 movements, 25 minutes
First performed in August 2009 by the Windermere String Quartet at the Music Port Milford Chamber Music Festival, and at York University, Toronto, in a project made possible by The Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies.
Programme note

 

Chansons for Violin and Piano

Chanson en fa (1989)
Chanson en sol (1999)
Chanson en la (2009)
Chanson en mi bémol (1979)

First performance of this compilation by Ruth Palmer and Alexei Grynyuk at Kings Place, London, on 1st March 2009, as part of the London Chamber Music Society series.
(Chanson en sol was commissioned for Haru and Maki Sekiya by the Institute of Socio-Cultural Development, Japan, and first performed by Haru and Maki Sekiya, Leicester Cathedral, August 1999, at a concert of the Anglo- Japanese Music Society)
 Programme note

  Concerto for Bassoon, Seven Solo Strings and Small Orchestra
First performance by the bassoonist Antal Mojzer, The Chamber Orchestra of Lapland (conducted by John Storgards) at Rovaniemi, Finland, on 5th May 2008
  In the Presence of the Angels A series of organ pieces based on plainchant celebrating St Benedict. Written in collaboration with Br Martin Gowman of Downside Abbey, Somerset. Performed by Br Martin at the worldwide Synod of Abbots Present at Downside in September 2006. First public performance on May 1st 2005 at King's College Chapel, University of Aberdeen, at a recital by Roger Williams forming part of the Aberdeen Music Prize weekend.
Programme note
  March, Lament and Fugue for Wind Orchestra and Percussion Funded by Arts Council England. Commissioned by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. First performance by TVYWO on 22nd April 2005, at Holy Trinity Church, Fairfield, Stockton-on-Tees.
Programme note
 

Crystallisations - flute, oboe viola, 11 minutes (a companion piece to Holst's Terzetto) Commissioned by the Cheltenham International Festival of Music with funds from South West Arts. First performed by members of Endymion (Helen Keen, Melinda Maxwell and Asdis Valdimarsdottir) on Friday 4 July 2003 in the Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham.
Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 10th July 2003.
"I enjoyed the weird resonances of Crystallisations, with added microtones" (Richard Morrison in The Times)
Programme note

  Far Better Things - SSB, orch (1020-121-perc(2)-pno-hp-elec guit(2)-str) 35 minutes (eight movements) "Fanfare", "Sarajevo 1992", Tiananmen Square 1989", "Antarctica 1912", "Dunblane 1996", "Farne Islands 1838", "Skies over Southern Britain 1940", "Dandi, India, 1930"
Written as a part of TVMS Composer-in-Education project with support from SAGE, Gateshead
A choral/orchestral work for young people; words by J G Magee, the composer, and from Hindu tradition. First performance by local musicians and schoolchildren, conducted by David Murray, on 2nd July 2003 at Stockton Baptist Tabernacle.
  West Country Sketches - solo violin, 8 minutes (five movements) "Castle Cary", "Launcells Cross", "Watern Tor", "Wells Cathedral", "Wimborne Minster".
Written to a request for recital material from Ruth Palmer.
First performance (with dancer Antonia Grove and choreographer Raphael Bonachela) on 14th July 2003 at St Andrew's Church, Cheltenham, as part of the Cheltenham International Festival of Music.
First London performance (unaccompanied) on 29th February 2004 at The Purcell Room.
Programme note
  Reconciliation - solo violin, 8 minutes (one movement)
Commissioned by New Music Concerts, Toronto, Canada.
First performance 1st December, 2002, as part of the New Music Concerts season, by Fujiko Imajishi.
"Musical passion" (Robert Harris in The Globe and Mail)
Programme note
  Mu Ara - full orchestra (3233-4231-timp+3-str) 8 minutes
Written as part of TVMS Composer-in-Education project
First performance on September 5th, 2002, at St Mary's RC Cathedral, Middlesbrough, by Tees Valley Youth Orchestra, conducted by David Kendall.
Programme note
  Angel Music - clarinet, string quartet, 16 minutes (three joined movements): "The Bells of Rievaulx"; "Angel in a Thermal"; "Live with me and be my love")
Commissioned by Steve Johnson
First performance 23rd April 2002 at The Purcell Room, London, by Katherine Spencer and the Solaris Quartet
Programme note
  Four Shakespeare Songs (From The Passionate Pilgrim) - mezzo-sop. guitar; 9 minutes
First performance 20th October 2001 at the Stratford-upon-Avon Festival, by Sophia Grech (mezzo soprano) and Richard Chapman (guitar), with further performances by them at Leicester University and Guildford International Festival (24th January 2003 and 10th March 2003 respectively).
Programme note
  From Fell to Sea - full orchestra (2232-4331-timp+3-str.); 11 minutes
Commissioned by the Friends of the Tees Valley Youth Orchestra, supported by a British Reserve Youth Orchestra Award, to celebrate the Millennium and the orchestra's tour to Poland.
First performed by the TVYO, conducted by David Kendall, at St Elizabeth's Church, Wroclaw, July 19th 2000. Recorded, with interview, for broadcast by Polish Radio Opole at St Nicholas Church, Brzeg, July 20th 2000. First UK performance at Coulby Newham RC Cathedral, September 8th 2000.
Programme note
  String Quartet No. 3: Within, above, beyond 20 minutes (one movement)
Written for the 2000 Cheltenham International Festival of Music in a project supported by Mr Jack Black and the Lord Ashdown Charitable Trust
First performance July 10th 2000 at Cheltenham, by the Sorrel String Quartet, with live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 (with interview)
"The composer's strengths lie in his realisation that, even in so emotive and emotionally loaded theme as (the Holocaust), the artistic and aesthetic are the key considerations . . . And what emerges here is a powerful, poignant and memorable piece that is devoid of mawkishness." (John Adler in Jewish Chronicle)
First overseas performance December 1st 2002 as part of New Music Concerts season, Toronto, Ontario, by the Accordes String Quartet.
Programme note
  Silent Conversation - cl. vl. vc. pf.; 5 minutes
Written as a companion to Messaien's Quartet for the End of Time for an spnm-promoted concert at the Tate Gallery, Liverpool, to accompany the Tony Cragg exhibition.
First performance May 27th, 2000 at the Liverpool Tate, by members of RLPO Ensemble 10:10 (Nicholas Cox, Shirly Laub, Jonathan Aasgaard, Kathryn Page)
First London performance December 4th 2001 at The Warehouse, Theed Street by The Contemporary Consort (Sarah Thurlow, Alexandra Wood, Rosie Banks, Huw Watkins), on the occasion of the spnm AGM
 

Seas of Light and Dark - fl./picc. vla. pf.; 10 minutes (three movements)
First performance by Nancy Ruffer, Sarah Jane Bradley and Jonathan Ayerst, The Assembly House, Norwich, May 12th, 2000
First London performance (same performers) The Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, May 23rd 2000 Published by Music Haven

  Voices of Midnight - mezzo-sop. pf. A set of six songs on the theme of night:
Voice of the Midnight Wind (to words by Emily Bronte) 4 minutes, won 2nd prize in the English Poetry and Song Society's Composing competition, 1999
First performance by Lorraine Worley and Ernest Woolford, Bristol Music Club, October 1999; first London performance by Ann Murray and Christopher Gould, Wigmore Hall, 16th February 2000; commercial live recording on CRC1003-2.
 

Only Dreamers Know - mezzo-sop. and guitar; 10 minutes (six songs; words by Thomas Hardy)
Commissioned by Sophia Grech, with additional funds provided by the Bridport and West Dorset Music Society
First performance 3rd November, 2000, by Sophia Grech and Richard Chapman in Bridport, Dorset

  Paradis moins cinq: Five Gémont Songs - mezzo-sop. alto fl. harp pf. electr.(live) perc.(1) 3vls. 2vlas.
Commissioned by The Purcell School with funds provided by The Holst Foundation First performance by Lana Skgratic and The Purcell Contemporary Ensemble, cond. Edward Longstaff, 18th March 1999
"Quite spectacular" (John McCabe)
  At the Tide's Mercy - high voice vl. vc. pf.
Two songs to words by Anne Cluysenaar. Awarded 1998 Music Haven Composition Prize
First performed by Susanne Teufel (sop.) with the New London Trio, Conway Hall, London, May 1999.
  . . . snatches of lovely oblivion . . . Four Songs to Poems by D.H.Lawrence - chamber choir (SATB) and string quartet or string orchestra; 17 minutes
First performed by The Carillon Choir of St Albans, conducted by Simon Brown, 18th December 1998, at The Purcell School.
  Wild Nights: Seven Songs to Words by Emily Dickinson - mezzo-sop. pf.
Commissioned by Steve Johnson and Debbie Richardson.
Joint First Prize winner in the 1997 Classic CD Magazine Composing Competition. First performance Taunton, Somerset, July 1997, by Sue Pearson and Carolyn Doorbar
  Sassafras Leaves: Nine Variations on a Cryptogram - pf.; 11 minutes
First performed by Masyuki Tayama at St Olave's Church, City of London, March 1999, then at Toho University, Japan, and at Leicester Cathedral, England
  String Quartet No. 2: La Maestŕ; 12 minutes
Written for The Nossek Quartet, Manchester and first performed by them, University of Bristol, May 1995. SPNM-promoted performance by the Sorrel String Quartet at The Cheltenham International Festival of Music, July 1997 Extracted for inclusion on SPNM's CD "Short Cuts", April 1998
First broadcast performance (also by the Sorrel String Quartet, also from Cheltenham) live on BBC Radio 3, July 8th 1999, with interview. Repeat broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 20th August 2001

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