In 1992 the composer, Carlo Martelli, was asked to write a piece for the viola section of the National Youth Orchestra, to give them an opportunity to rehearse and perform something other than orchestral repertoire. The composer rearranged the work in 2003 for its present combination.
The Pavão Quartet recorded this work in August 2012 on the CD Carlo Martelli, released in October 2013 by Discadia Records, DISCA 002. Included on the same CD, and also published by Broadbent & Dunn, are Martelli’s String Quartet No. 1, String Quartet No. 2 and Terzetto for Two Violins and Viola.
Review: “Completed in March 2003, Prelude and Fugue for string sextet stems from the score for 18 violas written for the National Youth Orchestra ten years previously. The imposing Prelude consists of a series of dramatic opening flourishes followed by a more fluent and elegant idea. Closely related to this prefatory statement, the ensuring Fugue is in a quicker tempo and takes in a sharply defined marcato section and an icy tremolando episode. Near the end, material from the Prelude reappears and the score concludes with a final sweeping gesture.” – Paul Conway for Discadia Records, 2013


