RETORICA English Violin Duos Philippa Mo & Harriet Mackenzie, violins NMC D182 • Retorica will be launched this CD at the Prestiegne Festival, where they are Artists in Residence (23 - 28 August 2012) and then at LSO St Luke's, London on September 2nd, 7.30pm. David Matthews, John McCabe and Jim Aitchison were present and gave a pre-concert talk. • Philippa and Harriet met at the Royal Academy of Music, London and discovered a shared passion for contemporary music as well as the wealth of rarely heard repertoire for two violins. • “Harriet Mackenzie and Philippa Mo are both exceptional violinists; together they have an instinctive rapport which makes them one of the most exciting duos around,” David Matthews, composer. • Graham Coatman is currently writing a double violin concerto for Retorica. From Retorica … Inspired by our long friendships with both the composers John McCabe and David Matthews, we decided that it would be fitting to make our first recording of British works for two violins.   We drew this collection together starting with two major works; the Rawsthorne Theme and Variations and the Moeran Sonata for Two Violins.   We love both the display of academic brilliance and invention in the Theme and Variations and also the warmth and vitality of Moeran in his Sonata.   The stunning Spielend by John McCabe epitomises the relationship of a duo – part duel, part chase, and is great fun to perform.   David Matthews' Eight Duos reveals a beautiful array of instrumental colour.   He refers to the English pastoral tradition directly but later denies any comfort this temporarily offers with his aggressive ‘Contra-Pastoral’.   We feel a real connection with his language and identify strongly with the ‘English’ mood that emerges throughout.   Syruw provides an exotic evocation of the life on the Mongolian steppe and it was the wild beauty of the region's landscape and climate that propelled Jim Aitchison’s musical demands.   Although the tiny and playful Croft Sonata is clearly an odd man out, we have had enormous pleasure delving into the collections of the British Library and this piece, represents our glance backwards for a moment to the quality of duo writing in the eighteenth century that unknowingly paved the way for these magnificent contemporary composers we are privileged enough to work with today. TRACK LISTING JIM AITCHISON Syruw: Five Kazakh Tableaux for violin duo (2009) 01.    I. Still     1'22 02.   II. Gently restless and distant     1’04 03.  III. Working     1’18 04. IV. Capricious and lugubrious     2’55 05.  V. Distant, singing     4’50 JOHN McCABE 06. Spielend for two violins (2003)     13’19 ERNEST JOHN MOERAN Sonata for two violins 07.    I. Allegro non troppo     5’52 08.   II. Presto     3’41 09.  III. Passacaglia. Poco maestoso, ma con moto     5’11 WILLIAM CROFT Sonata IV Op.3 No.4 from Six Sonatas … to Which is Added an Excellent Solo (1704) 10.    I.     2’00 11.   II.     1’00 12.  III.     0’32 13. IV.     1’47 DAVID MATTHEWS Eight Duos for two violins, Op. 79 (1999–2001) 14. 1. English Dance: Allegro cantabile     2’13 15. 2. Slavonic Dance: Scorrevole     1’47 16. 3. Still afternoon: Lento     2’30 17. 4. Bells at evening: Con moto     1’26 18. 5. Pastoral: Andante     1’27 19. 6. Contra-Pastoral: Con violenza     0’59 20. 7. Fugue and Dance: Flowing     2’47 21. 8. Arietta: Largo     2’15 ALAN RAWSTHORNE Theme and Variations for two violins (1937) 22. Theme: Allegro     0’34 23.    I. Capriccietto: Allegro molto     0’52 24.   II. Siciliano: Allegretto     2’12 25.  III. Cancrizzante: Allegro     0’59 26.  IV. Rhapsodia: Adagio     2’27 27.   V. Notturno: Lento assai     3’19 28.   VI. Scherzetto: Presto     0’33 29.  VII. Ostinato: Allegro     1’06 30. VIII. Canone: Allegro     0’25 31.  IX. Fantasia: Allegro poco maestoso –              Nel tempo della Rhapsodia – Tempo I     3’02 NMC Recordings are distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading, P.O.Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone (03) 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile (03) 9444 6879