Alistair Hinton

The world première recording of Alistair Hinton's String Quintet Op 13 is due for issue this month (July 2002). A 3-CD boxed set containing a 40-page book, it is to be released on the Altarus label (AIR-CD-9066[3]). Altarus gratefully acknowledges financial assistance from the RVW Trust towards the cost of releasing this recording.

One of the largest works in chamber music literature, Alistair Hinton’s String Quintet is in many respects his most ambitious composition to date. Scored for two violins, viola, ’cello and double bass, it is designed to be the sole work on any programme, its five-movement structure divided into two parts separated by an interval. Its finale - vastly longer than the sum total of its first four movements, also has an important part for solo soprano, setting a variety of texts including some by composers (Schoenberg, Delius, Sorabji and Berlioz). Its creation was spread over eight years and the recording completed precisely thirty years after its first notes were committed to paper. Could this be the world's largest chamber work?

An ensemble of distinguished virtuosi, each well known for extensive contributions to contemporary music performance, was formed specially to make this recording: Sarah Leonard, soprano, Jagdish Mistry, violin, Marcus Barcham Stevens, violin, Levine Andrade, viola, Michael Stirling, ’cello and Corrado Canonici, double bass.

Information: 100775.2716@compuserve.com (email) +44 (0)1225 852523 (fax) +44 (0)1225 852323 (phone)

Posted: 16 July 2002

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