PROMETHEAN EDITIONS String Music Catalogue: Inspired by Virtuosos
String music with an exciting fusion of musical styles One of the defining qualities of the music published by
Virtuoso Violin Encores
Promethean Editions is the exciting fusion of different
Coming To (2010) by Hatzis for violin and piano was
musical styles that can be heard in the works of its
commissioned by three-time Grammy Award-winning
published composers. Looking outward from the Western
violinist Hilary Hahn, and appears on Hahn's landmark
classical tradition, these composers broaden their stylistic
recording project In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores,
horizons by partnering the traditional with the modern – or
released by Deutsche Grammophon (0289 479 1725).
ancient – to create challenging, exciting contemporary
Accordingly, this short work incorporates the expressivity,
classical works. Composer Christos Hatzis draws
dynamism and dexterity typical of Hatzis’s writing for
inspiration from the throat singing of Canada’s Inuit
string instruments, and provides violinists with an
culture, the microtonal subtleties of ancient Middle Eastern
opportunity to demonstrate that their musicianship is of
music, and elements of his own Greek musical heritage.
the highest calibre. An enjoyable journey from subdued
Like Hatzis, John Psathas is also known for incorporating
microtonal meanderings to
elements of Greek music, while other string works give a
dramatic lyricism, with
nod to gypsy-style performance and even Tibetan Buddhist
frequent intermingling of the
philosophy. Gareth Farr’s music has long been influenced
two states, Coming To has been
by the interlocking rhythmic character of Indonesia’s
hailed as a 'real crowd-pleaser…
gamelan music, while inspiration also comes from New
alternating between airy
Zealand’s Māori legends. Canada’s Vincent Ho finds
lyricism and furious gypsy-like
inspiration in other art forms in modern culture – such as
passion.’
paintings by Edward Hopper and Luc Leestemaker – his music becoming an expression of his reactions to these visual provocations.
Dystopia (2010) for solo violin was also written especially for Hahn. Hatzis looks beyond Western equal temperament, incorporating a microtonally
In reflecting this broad range of influences and styles,
altered modal scale to evoke a Middle-Eastern sound world.
works for string instruments in the Promethean Editions
This hyper-virtuosic work sees the violinist often having to
catalogue cover virtuosic works for solo and accompanied
employ both arco and pizzicato techniques simultaneously
violin, works which utilize the exquisite and expressive
in an imaginative decoupling of the left and right hands.
voice of the cello, and refreshing contemporary works for
Despite its technical demands, Dystopia lends itself well to
string quartet.
individual expression, making it an exciting addition to solo violin repertoire as a bold, dense and captivating encore or recital work.
www.promethean-editions.com String Music Catalogue – June 2015