Rebecca Clarke – A Musical Odyssey

The Music

Rebecca Clarke, a violist herself, submitted her rhapsodic Sonata for an American competition in 1919 under a male pseudonym. It came a close second to Bloch’s Suite, and the Sonata went on to launch her international career. Bloch’s prize-winning Suite is darkly inventive throughout, and it is easy to see why it impressed the committee.

Martinů’s Sonata is a late work, but its Allegro bustles with playful energy. Ravel’s first Violin Sonata, in one lyrical movement, was first published decades after his death. Wistfully elegant throughout, it is delightfully contrasted with Bartók’s rambunctious Romanian Dances.

The Performers

Lawrence Power is one of the most engaging chamber performers working today, equally skilled on the violin as the viola. He and the highly versatile pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips are equally gifted at curating fascinating recital programmes.