Richard Jones - Chamber Airs for a Violin (& Thorough Bass) - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Various Artists - Russian Chamber Music / Various [COMPACT DISCS] date 07/01/2008

My first encounter with Kenneth V. Jones was in 2016 when our family moved to the village of Bishopstone in the Sussex Downs. Over the course of several months I was able to learn more of Kenneth's musical life. As soon as he mentioned having once written a string quartet, it was decided to programme the work during the following Season of Seaford Music Society, of which Kenneth was a long-standing member and whose programming I had recently taken on. Such was the warmth of the reception upon hearing the work that it was decided to explore more of Kenneth's chamber music output, and thus the idea for this CD was born. We have Kenneth to thank for the fact the the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music made the decision, at his suggestion, to include contemporary compositions in their graded examination syllabuses. Several of the short character pieces that Kenneth wrote for the ABRSM remain in the syllabus to this day, and a selection of these is included on this recording. It gave me huge pleasure to be able to present to Kenneth the first edit of the current CD, just a few days before his death in December 2020. He was absolutely thrilled. © Sebastian Comberti

World premiere recordings are brought together on this new GENUIN album featuring works by the composer Christian Ridil Renowned musicians from the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, among others, play in formations ranging from brass quintet to flute and percussion to the exquisite combination of (chromatic) harmonica and harpsichord. The works of the Goethe University Frankfurt's former university music director are characterized by stylistic diversity, wit, charm, and virtuosity and yet bear Ridil's clear signature. Absolutely worth discovering!