Works by Oscar Gorman-Tysoe, Erik Valdemar Sköld, Massimo de Lillo, Samuel Howley, Alex Petshaft
Ada Witczyk (baroque violin)
First Hand FHR160D 24:14 mins
In 2020, as a response to Covid lockdowns, the Polish-British violinist Ada Witczyk co-founded the Růžičková Composition Competition. As a vehicle for fostering the creation of new works for historical instruments, the annual competition commemorates the legacy of Czech harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková.
New Baroque, available only on digital platforms, features five miniatures for solo violin commissioned from Růžičková Competition laureates – we hear music by composers based in England, Wales, Italy, Sweden and the US. Lasting between three-and-a-half and six minutes, these highly idiomatic works are a testament to the intimate, tactile nature of the connection between instrument and player, and the appeal of a gut-stringed sonority unencumbered by continuous vibrato.
Witczyk’s repertoire is judiciously chosen, and impeccably executed on a Parisian-made violin by Nicolas Augustin Chappuy from c.1770. Oscar Gorman-Tysoe’s Aeolian Dance blends various modes in gentle melodic lines with a folk-like character, and the plight of nature is delicately presented through the tranquillity of Erik Valdemar Sköld’s Landvættir Song.
Massimo de Lillo’s E sempre sarà fuoco is a compelling juxtaposition of tuneful melancholy and rhythmic agility, and evoking winter’s chill, Sam Howley’s bowed and plucked sonorities in Winter Solstice capture a vast, bleak landscape. Rounding off this superb collection, Alex Petshaft’s This Last Night of Nights takes us on a journey of melodic poignancy. Here’s hoping further collaborations are planned!