Alexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin's Nocturne from the String Quartet No. 2 in D is pure lyric warmth: long-breathed melody and glowing harmonic colour that sit easily beside Schubert and Tchaikovsky.
His Scherzo Prestissimo flips the coin. In David Stanhope's transcriptions for solo piano and for horn octet it becomes fleet, sparkling writing built for pure virtuosity. Between the unhurried song of the Nocturne and that breathless scherzo lies chamber music that thrives on melody which sings and figuration which flies.
Compositions by Alexander Borodin appear on
Sydney Brass Plays Stanhope
David Stanhope has been writing music for brass ensembles for over 30 years. The works are performed widely and remain a favourite of brass players around the world.
Virtuoso Transcriptions
These ‘one take’ studio recordings were made for ABC broadcast about a decade before release. That they stand as a finished album is a tribute to David Stanhope’s prodigious musicianship and technique.