Sleeve Notes

DAVID JOHNSTONE was born in England and studied music at the Royal Academy of Music. As a cellist he has worked with the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English String Orchestra, the London Concert Orchestra, and the Pablo Sarasate Orchestra of Pamplona. He shares his playing activities with composing. The première of his symphonic poem “Exorcismo de una Pasion” was considered by the magazine “Melómano’ as the highlight of the 1996 orchestral season in Pamplona. He has composed the sound tracks for several short films commissioned by Channel 4 and the London Film Institute. Recently he has undertaken several projects, both as player and composer, for the Spanish television channel Tele 5. He is also experimenting with the sounds of Celtic tradition and "cross-over" music (classical-pop and classical-jazz).

As part of a wide-ranging repertoire the British-born conductor CAROLINE COLLIER has received acclaim for the premieres she has given of the orchestral works of Johnstone, forming a successful partnership in ‘cross-over” collaborations.

ENTRE DOS MUNDOS - BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

David Johnstone’s works for string orchestra follow two distinct tendencies: some pieces are on the frontier between classical music and pop and others lean more towards romantic film music.

VIAJE EN EL TOPO is a jovial invatation to dance. It is a small homage to the users of the little train that connects San Sebastian to the French border.

SWINGING STRINGS is, as its na indicates, a mellow ‘swing” piece influenced by traditional British pop music.

CALLING, C.C. is a fast and funny "blues" piece.

AMARA, DONOSTIA, a work full of pop rhythm and energy which occasionally hints at the Beatles’ Yesterday.

PERPETUUM MOBILE for violin and orchestra requires great virtuoso playing from the soloist.

POEMA DE AMOR, commissioned by the clarinettist Joan Borràs is a romantic piece for clarinet and strings with hints of film music.

ZAPATEADO DE SAN FERMIN for flute and strings is a piece “a la Sarasate”, but with the flute taking the place of the violin.

ORIO is another soft pop work for an unusual string combination. The orchestra -without cellos or doublebasses- produces a lyrical sound in which the first and second violins alternate, imitating the waves of the river Oria.

PLEASING PIZZICATOS is a humorous work in which all the orchestra plays in pizzicato, the doublebasses playing a special role to the accompaniment of the other strings.

RESURRECCION begins as an echo of Pachelbel's famous Canon but its very romantic development progressively gains in intensity until the final peak after which the tension fades and evaporates into the air.

WALKING TO HEAVEN WITH THE MASTERS is on the borderline between jazz and classical; its rhythm is that of the former, though in various parts it recalls famous classical themes. It is dedicated to the memory of the French violinist Christophe Migdula.

Credits

English translation: Patricia Cowir Gordon
Recorded live at the Basque National Orchestra’s Hall on March 16-17, 2002
Recording and master by Juan Rekarte. (aus_Art.records)
With thanks to German Ormazabal and the Basque National Orchestra