VIOLA REPERTOIRE
by
Sally Beamish
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CONCERTOS
Concerto no.1
Viola and chamber orchestra
(piano reduction available)
Based on the story of St Peter’s denials
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Concerto no.2 : The Seafarer
Viola and chamber orchestra
(piano reduction available)
Based on the 9th century Anglo-Saxon poem: The Seafarer
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Concerto no.3 : Under the Wing of the Rock
Viola and strings
(piano reduction available)
Based on a story from the Glencoe Massacre (1692)
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VIOLA AND PIANO
Halbkreis
An early work, written for the composer’s teacher, Bruno Giuranna
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Sule Skerrie
A rock near Orkney Islands, home to seals and legends of selkies
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Sonata for viola and piano
Inspired by Clara Schumann: drawing on Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und leben
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Merula Perpetua
Built on the song of a blackbird
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SOLO VIOLA
Pennillion
Inspired by the Welsh crwth
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The Wise Maid
Irish Folk tune with variations. Originally for cello, and arranged for viola by Jenny Wilkinson
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That Recent Earth
Based on a 14th century pre-Islamic mourning poem
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Ariel
One of several pieces related to the ballet ‘The Tempest’
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Glanz
Written in memory of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, and based on a fragment from Schönberg’s Verklärte nacht
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MULTI-VIOLA WORKS
Two violas:
Prelude and Canon
Originally for two violins: written to celebrate a Stradivarius and a modern copy
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Four violas:
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Bratchwork
A short birthday piece for Annette Morreau incorporating 10 quotations from the viola repertoire. Later arranged for massed violas for Bruno Giuranna’s 80th birthday.
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Six violas:
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A Farewell
One of a group of six chamber pieces written as a farewell to Scotland.
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CHAMBER MUSIC FEATURING MORE THAN ONE VIOLA
Epilogue
String Quintet (2 violas)
Meditation on a theme by Thomas Tallis
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The Wiser Maid
String Sextet
An extension of the solo piece ‘The Wise Maid’
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The Wedding at Cana
String Sextet
Based on the New Testament story
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Partita
String Octet
Takes themes from Bach, Mendelssohn and Handel
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VIOLA PLUS
Buzz
Viola and soprano
Setting of a poem by Emily Dickinson
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Duet for Martin
Viola and cello
Written for the 50th birthday of Martin Dalby
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Between Earth and Sea
Flute, viola and harp
In memory of the twin daughters of a friend.
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The King’s Alchemist
String trio: violin, viola and cello
Based on the story of John Damian – 16th century alchemist at Stirling Castle
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RELATED ARTICLES
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How the theft of my viola turned me into a composer (Merula Perpetua) - The Guardian
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'I'm hoping we're moving towards a time when gender simply isn't an issue' (A Farewell) - The List
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Contemporary composer: Sally Beamish - Kate Molleson, Gramophone Magazine
All a question of keeping faith: A thief, a viola, and a hard choice - The Independent
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