The music of contemporary British composer
Nigel Clarke heard here is brash, absolutely direct, full of attention-getting strokes, and above all physically involving and challenging for the players.
Clarke works closely with soloists not only after but during the composition of a work, sometimes incorporating players' practice and warm-up routines into his music. Violinist Peter Sheppard Skaerved is a specialist in
Clarke's music, and
Clarke writes mostly for the violin, although his own background is that of a military trumpeter. Band music gives
Clarke's music its frontal-attack feel, but it is his skill at weaving a variety of other influences together that keeps the listener guessing and avoids bombast even as the music gets really loud. He draws on
Stravinsky, especially his primitivist phase, Kurt Weill, world traditions, and perhaps the new virtuosity of Crumb. Sample the little Loulan for solo violin (track 3) for a taste; although most of
Clarke's music is not Asian in flavor, it does evoke the intense connections between music and theater that are a special province of Asian musical cultures. The other Asian-influenced work on the program is 1995's Samurai, for wind ensemble, with some very active percussion. It's a crowd-pleaser that will wake up anybody who tends to fall asleep during concerts, but the sheer physicality of other works, such as The Miraculous Violin for violin and strings (2000), is ultimately more appealing -- young soloists on violin or trumpet who are looking for music with which they can push themselves to their limits and compel the attention of a crowd should get to know
Clarke's compositions. Most of the album was recorded at an unusual venue -- the Royal Navy's HMS Raleigh training establishment -- but it proves to be an inspired choice for
Clarke's music, with a spacious acoustic that can contain its blaring side without stimulating auditory claustrophobia.