Gordon Crosse's Wavesongs, inspired by his life near the sea, explores not just ocean waves but also rhythmic complexities, images, colors, and spaces that evoke danger, violence, power, mystery, and tenderness.
Album & Artwork
This album features three works for cello and piano: a cornerstone of the repertoire, a modern masterpiece, and a transcription of an early work.
Performer Biography
Cellist Alexander Baillie began playing at age twelve, inspired by a BBC film about Jacqueline du Pré, and later studied with du Pré herself.
Composer Biography
Gordon Crosse, whose work Wavesongs is featured, enjoyed significant success in the 1960s and 1970s before focusing on computer programming for two decades.
Composition History
Maurice Ravel's Violin Sonata No. 1, presented here in a cello arrangement, was written in 1897 while he was studying at the Paris Conservatoire with André Gedalge and Gabriel Fauré.
Performer Biography
Pianist Nigel Yandell, based in Cambridge, England, specializes in working with string players and singers and has a particular interest in contemporary music.
Recording & Production
This recording includes a new performing edition of Gordon Crosse's Wavesongs, which was supported by Hughes Hall, a graduate College of the University of Cambridge.
