Ian's ambition here is contemporary yet tuneful chamber music, with most tracks written with these players and their instruments in mind: saxophonist Kyle Horch, violinist Guillem Calvo and pianist Pavel Timofejevsky. At the core of the album is a substantial violin sonata. It’s composed in a traditional 19th Century sonata style with much use of rubato and flexible tempos. Interwoven are themes, harmony and phrasing with a provenance in Celtic and psychedelic music. The delays often found in electronic music can be heard in ‘Astral Hurdy-Gurdy’. In ‘Limes Groves of South Kensington’ the piano imitates the Autoharp (prominent in Bluegrass music), with each instrument providing a pulsing part somewhere in the textures. The title track Islas (Spanish for Islands - with Ian enjoying Spain and Malta when he can escape London) is influenced by ambient/new age music. The piano creates a dreamy texture over which the soprano sax plays long melodic lines.
TRACKS:
1. Islas
2. Astral Hurdy-Gurdy: Movement One
3. Astral Hurdy-Gurdy: Movement Two
4. Astral Hurdy-Gurdy: Movement Three
5. Mornwards
6. Sonata For Violin And Piano: Movement One
7. Sonata For Violin And Piano: Movement Two
8. Sonata For Violin And Piano: Movement Three
9. Sonata For Violin And Piano: Movement Four
10. Lime Groves Of South Kensington: Movement One
11. Lime Groves Of South Kensington: Movement Two
12. Lime Groves Of South Kensington: Movement Three
13. As Far As You Can See
TOTAL: 71:47
Cat: MC0008
© ℗ Music Chamber 2010
Ian Stewart (composer)
Kyle Horch (tenor and soprano saxophones)
Guillem Calvo Martínez de Albéniz (violin)
Pavel Timofejevsky (piano)
Richard Carruthers (producer)
David Blackman (mastering)
All photos © Ian Stewart but freely available for press use.
ISLAS cd cover High resolution (1055x1055) : size 651kb
PRESS RELEASE
December 10, 2010
RELEASE OF IAN STEWART ALBUM: ISLAS
Music Chamber is proud to release a label-defining album by London based British composer Ian Stewart. His ambition here is contemporary yet melodic chamber music, with most of the tracks written with these players and their instruments in mind.
The musicians are American Kyle Horch (soprano & tenor saxophones), Spaniard Guillem Calvo Martínez de Albéniz (violin) and Russian Pavel Timofejevsky (piano) - who first came together to premiere Ian’s works at a London concert last year. Kyle is a saxophone professor at the Royal College of Music with several CDs to his name and leads the Sax Quartet Flotilla. Guillem leads the Altissimo Ensemble and Albeniz Quartet in London and Barcelona. Pavel graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, is resident musician at St John’s Church Notting Hill and performs as an international concert soloist.
At the core of the album is a substantial violin sonata. It’s composed in a traditional 19th Century sonata style with much use of rubato and flexible tempos. Interwoven are themes, harmony and phrasing with a provenance in Celtic and psychedelic music. The delays often found in electronic music can be heard in ‘Astral Hurdy-Gurdy’. In ‘Limes Groves of South Kensington’ the piano imitates the Autoharp (prominent in Bluegrass music), with each instrument providing a pulsing part somewhere in the textures. The title track Islas (Spanish for Islands - with Ian enjoying Spain and Malta when he can escape London) is influenced by ambient/new age music. The piano creates a dreamy texture over which the soprano sax plays long melodic lines.
As well as composing music ranging from classical and jazz to electronica and new wave - Ian plays keyboards, trombone and bass guitar - alongside new instruments like turntables and laptops. His classical saxophone compositions have been played by Saxploitation and John Harle with the Brodsky Quartet. Ian has always had a passion for unconventional instrumentations - his first CD on the Music Chamber label featured an octet of violins and violas: San Gejtanu MC0005
Music Chamber is a small independent label based in London's Notting Hill. As well as producing contemporary chamber music, it organises local concerts twice a week that are free to the public.
The album can be heard at www.music-chamber.com Photographs & other press material also available from Richard Carruthers on +44 (0)7887 565 475 or via email: richard@music-chamber.com
A special concert of Ian’s music from the new CD will be performed by the musicians on the album at St Peter’s Church 90 Kensington Park Road Notting Hill W11 2NN at 7.30pm on Friday 7th January 2011. If you would like press tickets please contact Richard.
Ian Stewart composer of all compositions on ISLAS CD (350dpi resolution : size 340kb)
Violinist Guillem Calvo at recording of ISLAS CD (350dpi resolution : size 283kb)
Pianist Pavel Timofejevsky at recording of ISLAS CD (350dpi resolution : size 258kb
Saxophonist Kyle Horch at recording of ISLAS CD (350dpi resolution : size 250kb)
ISLAS DIGIPAK ARTWORK
