A lovely suite of pieces based on images of different animals. Written for Sally Mays and broadcast by her on ABC. For studios and schools.
Review: “This is modern music of high quality – recommended.” – Piano Guild Notes, July 1995
A lovely suite of pieces based on images of different animals. Written for Sally Mays and broadcast by her on ABC. For studios and schools.
Review: “This is modern music of high quality – recommended.” – Piano Guild Notes, July 1995
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| Movement Titles | Goldfish, Dragonfly, Baby Elephant, Snail Nocturne and Happy Hedgehog |
Gordon Carr was born in Matlock, Derbyshire in 1943 and educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Academy of Music where he studied the horn with Barry Tuckwell. He has enjoyed a varied freelance career, which encompassed playing with all the major London orchestras. As a session musician he played on the soundtrack of numerous films including 'The Boys from Brazil', 'The Spy who Loved Me' and 'Straw Dogs' and on the backing tracks of much pop music. As a soloist he appeared at the Wigmore Hall, on the South Bank and around the UK, Italy and Belgium. In his twenties he began to write music, and wrote several large scale works for the Locke Brass Consort whilst a member of this group. In all he has written in excess of 130 works. For thirty years he taught at The Centre for Young Musicians and throughout his career has coached and conducted on holiday music courses. Conducting engagements have been with The Locke Brass Consort, London Brass Consort, London Youth Symphonic Band, London Youth Chamber Orchestra, Royal Academy of Music Brass Ensemble, London College of Music Symphonic Band and the International Summer School Orchestra at Keele.
Written for players at the Centre for Young Musicians in London where the composer Gordon Carr taught for thirty years.
The four volumes of Steingold Graded Pieces for piano were originally written as a teaching aid, and also for the enjoyment of piano students. Each volume introduces a number of musical styles, from classical to modern, folk to jazz. All the pieces are colourful and imaginative, and every page offers new surprises. The books are a musical treasure chest into which pianists from beginners to advanced level might dip and find a variety of items, from the stillness of a solo meditation to the fireworks of a party piece! Because they were written as a teaching aid they also present the pianist with practice and preparation in the technical and musical aspects required for the Associated Boards of the Royal School of Music Examinations from Grade 1 through to Grade 8. The first three pieces of this second volume were included in the London College of Music exam syllabus from 1998 to 2009 for grade 3, while the last three pieces were included for grade 4.
Written for Sally Mays and broadcast by her on ABC, each movement is a musical sketch of one of Sally's friends, mostly distinguished musicians.
Horn, Violin & Piano
Gordon Carr – Castle of Dreams (Horn, Violin & Piano) – Digital Download
Written for the Hermes Ensemble with the composer being the horn player, Castle of Dreams is a companion piece for the Brahms Horn Trio and is of similar difficulty.
This charming four movement work, that aptly sounds like the title, is heavily influenced by twentieth century masters. The first movement dances between key signatures, creating the feeling of puppets not altogether in control of their faculties, while the second movement is unashamedly intense in character. The third movement includes some very nice jazz-like voicing at the beginning of the movement, with Carr using all the piano registers to add depth and colour. The Latin flavour of the final movement is a total departure from the previous three movements, bringing the ear back to the ballet again, this time in a fiery dance. The asymmetrical rhythms, shifting time signatures and registers, and the once-again intense chromatics jar us back to the herky-jerky puppets as they summon their ersatz dance skills. For the advanced intermediate performer as well as seasoned professionals.
Horn & Piano
The first movement The Happy Fox is a London College of Music Grade 8 exam piece until further notice, and a Trinity College London Grade 8 exam piece until further notice
The second movement Idyll is a London College of Music Grade 7 exam piece until further notice, and a Trinity College London Grade 7 exam piece until further notice
The third movement To Home is a Trinity College London Grade 8 exam piece until further notice
This delightful piece, written for Laura Sheppard when a student at Trinity College London, is beautifully written for both horn and piano.
The first movement The Happy Fox was an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exam piece for Grade 8 between 2004 and 2012. Happy Fox has been a London College of Music Grade 8 exam piece since 2011 and has been a Trinity College London Grade 8 exam piece since 1998.
The second movement Idyll was an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exam piece for Grade 7 between 2004 and 2012 and a Trinity College London Performers Certificate exam piece between 1998 and 2004. Idyll has been a London College of Music Grade 7 exam piece since 2011 and has also been a Trinity College London Grade 7 exam piece since 2002.
The third and last movement To Home! was an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exam piece for Grade 8 between 2004 and 2012 and a Guildhall School of Music and Drama Grade 7 exam piece between 1996 and 1999. To Home! has been a Trinity College London Grade 8 exam piece since 2004.