Robin Stevens: A Questing Soul Christine Townsend & Stephen Robbings

• Robin Stevens (b. 1958): Fantasy Sonata:
• 1 Stevens: Fantasy Sonata 15:56
• Toccata:
• 2 Stevens: Toccata 02:15
• Cri de Coeur:
• 3 Stevens: Cri de Coeur 02:58
• Stratospheric!:
• 4 Stevens: Stratospheric! 04:27
• Scherzo in Blue:
• 5 Stevens: Scherzo in Blue 01:35
• Reconciliation:
• 6 Stevens: Reconciliation 06:00
• Sonata Tempesta:
• 7 Stevens: Sonata Tempesta: I. Adagio con moto – Moderato, energico ed appassionato 10:34
• 8 Stevens: Sonata Tempesta: II. Scherzo. Allegro vivo 04:42
• 9 Stevens: Sonata Tempesta III. Andante tranquillo 10:13
• 10 Stevens: Sonata Tempesta IV. Finale. Allegro con spirito 07:25
• A Questing Soul:
• 11 Stevens: A Questing Soul 04:01
• Tom and Jerry:
• 12 Stevens: Tom and Jerry 02:23
• Three Vignettes:
• 13 Stevens: Three Vignettes: I. Beethoven through the Looking Glass 00:32
• 14 Stevens: Three Vignettes: II. Summertime Langour 01:19
• 15 Stevens: Three Vignettes: III. Master of the Rocking Horse 00:52
• An Interrupted Waltz:
• 16 Stevens: An Interrupted Waltz 03:51
• Three Bagatelles:
• 17 Stevens: Three Bagatelles: I. Tempo di Valse 01:29
• 18 Stevens: Three Bagatelles: II. Allegro non troppo 01:00
• 19 Stevens: Three Bagatelles: III. Allegro fuoco 02:10
• Say Yes To Life:
• 20 Stevens: Say Yes To Life 05:26
• Soliloquy:
• 21 Stevens: Soliloquy 02:30
• Total Runtime 01:31:38

Info zu Robin Stevens: A Questing Soul

Robin Stevens' "A Questing Soul" bietet ein fesselndes Porträt eines Komponisten, dessen Werk sich über fast drei Jahrzehnte hinweg entwickelt hat. Diese Sammlung umfasst ein breites stilistisches Spektrum und zeigt Stevens' Entwicklung von der üppigen Spätromantik seiner frühen Werke bis hin zu den dissonanteren und experimentelleren Idiomen seiner späteren Kompositionen. Die beiden umfangreichsten Werke auf dem Album - "Fantasy Sonata" und "Sonata Tempesta" - wurden in Stevens' späten Zwanzigern komponiert und stellen wichtige Meilensteine in seinem frühen Schaffen dar. Die "Fantasy Sonata", die fur die Geigerin Christine Townsend und den Pianisten Stephen Robbings geschrieben wurde - beide spielen alle Stücke auf dem Album -, präsentiert eine intensiv fokussierte Klangwelt, die auf der oktatonischen Tonleiter basiert. Die einsätzige Struktur bewegt sich von einer gefühlvollen, klagenden Einleitung zu turbulenteren, schnelleren Abschnitten und gipfelt in einem freudig intensiven Schluss. "Sonata Tempesta" hingegen ist ein groß angelegtes, viersätziges Werk, dessen weitläufige Form es Stevens ermöglicht, Momente lyrischer Schönheit und stürmischer Intensität miteinander zu verweben. Das Album enthält auch eine Reihe kürzerer Werke oder "Miniaturen", die Stevens die Möglichkeit bieten, neue kompositorische Ideen in kleinerem Maßstab zu erforschen. Eines der ungewöhnlicheren Werke des Albums, "Scherzo in Blue", bringt Jazzeinflüsse in Stevens' Instrumentalmusik ein - eine Seltenheit in seinem Oeuvre. Der Titeltrack "A Questing Soul" spiegelt die Essenz des Albums wider: eine kompakte Tondichtung fur Soloklavier, die zwischen verträumter Lyrik und kraftvollen, durchsetzungsfähigen Themen wechselt.

Christine Townsend, Violine
Stephen Robbings, Klavier

Christine Townsend
studied the violin at the Royal Academy of Music and has since enjoyed a varied and successful career as a chamber musician and principal orchestral player. She was a regular guest principal with the London Philharmonic and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and guest leader of the Hallé. She has given highly acclaimed concerto performances as a soloist at the Edinburgh and Salzburg Festivals, performed in Europe and the USA and has been involved in an

eclectic variety of recording projects including work with leading pop artists. Christine has been in demand as a teacher, adjudicator and chamber music coach.

Stephen Robbings
studied the piano as an Associated Board scholar at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded almost every prize for performance. He has given concerto and recital performances throughout the UK at venues such as Birmingham Symphony Hall, and the Queen

Elizabeth Hall and has appeared on BBC Radio and Television. As a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician he has performed in Europe, the Far East and the USA, with an interest in contemporary music, giving first performances of a number of new pieces by prominent composers. He has also worked as a vocal accompanist and harpsichordist and is an experienced recording engineer and producer.

Robin Stevens
Born in Wales in 1958, and growing up in a musical family in the south of England, Robin’s lyricism and his love of harmony may be traced to his years as a treble and (once his voice started to break) an alto singing in church choirs. Initially a first study cellist, at sixteen he performed the Elgar Cello Concerto, complete, with the Dartington College Orchestra. At eighteen he began the Joint Course at the Royal Northern College of Music (which he didn’t particularly enjoy) and Manchester University (which he did), graduating with honours in 1980. A year later, whilst completing an MA at Birmingham University, Robin wrote a String Quintet, his first major composition. Then followed five years working on the staff of a church in York as Music Director and Pastoral Worker, where he wrote a good deal of sacred vocal music, after which Robin taught for three years, heading up the Music Department of a Senior School in West Yorkshire. His fortunes took a serious dip in 1990 when he contracted ME, a debilitating illness from which he only recovered in 2007, after which, whilst continuing to compose, he earned his living as a personal tutor, mainly teaching nine- and ten-year-old children.

A committed Christian, Robin continues to be involved in church music, as cellist, keyboard player, vocalist and composer/arranger. In 2018 Robin was the grateful beneficiary of a considerable family legacy which has enabled him to embark on the project of recording all his major compositions with some of the foremost musicians in Britain. His works include a Te Deum for choir, soloists and orchestra; Mourning into Dancing for symphony orchestra; Brass Odyssey for brass band and six percussionists; concertos for bassoon, for cello, and for viola; two string quartets; a Sonata for Solo Cello; and Fantasy Sonata and Sonata Tempesta for violin and piano. Unsurprisingly, Robin has also written a large quantity of cello miniatures, including a meditative online collection entitled An Inward Journey, which he performs himself. Robin has also recorded two albums of songs, Fire and Inspire, and Whispers in the Wasteland.

Beyond his musical activities, Robin is a regular at parkrun in Wythenshawe, Manchester; tries to cycle rather than drive; is a voracious reader, especially of thrillers and biographies; preaches every couple of months at St. Mary’s Church, Sale; loves giving dinner-parties; and, despite his best efforts, remains Christendom’s most reluctant bachelor.

Booklet für Robin Stevens: A Questing Soul