HORN QUINTET (1997) (FRENCH HORN and STRING QUARTET)
Written for Richard Watkins who gave the first performance with the Sorrell Quartet at the Presteigne Festival, 22nd August 1997. It was commissioned for Presteigne by the director, George Vass, to whom the work is dedicated.
In four movements and lasting about 15 minutes, the piece is a showpiece, not only for the horn but the string players as well. The finale is a 9-over-8 galop which mischievously contains a swipe at the British hunting fraternity with the quotation from the folk tune 'A-hunting we will go' - at the time of writing, the scent of a government ban on hunting was in the air although it was to take a further 8 years to actually happen, not that it's much use. Finally the redcoats galop the retreat in great high spirits!
DURATION 15'
(Eschig)