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Toft Serenade (2006)

For violin and piano
[Also a version for viola and piano]

Commissioned by Christopher and Douglas Toft for their parents, Richard and Marietta
in honor of their respective 70th and 65th birthdays.
Premiered by Rachel Barton Pine, violin, and Matthew Hagle, piano, Chicago, Illinois, 28 October 2006
Viola version premiered by Yuval Gotlibovich, viola, and Jean-Louis Haguenauer, piano
Villefavard, France: 13 July 2013
Duration: 6 minutes

BUY SCORE (for violin and piano)
BUY SCORE (for viola and piano)

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Chamber & Piano Works

This work is available on
Chamber & Piano Works.

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Sun Threads

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Sun Threads.

 

Toft Serenade runs from 7:54-8:55

Program Notes

Toft Serenade for violin and piano, composed in 2006, is a six- minute duo commissioned by Christopher and Douglas Toft for their parents, Richard and Marietta, in honor of their respective 70th and 65th birthdays.  It was premiered by Rachel Barton Pine, violin and Matthew Hagle, piano in Chicago on October 28, 2006 at a private party. Organic and, at every level, concerned with transformations and connections, Toft Serenade unfold two short movements, played without a pause, each lasting about 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Arc I is generally spacious and is marked Flexible, Lyrical, Majestic; Arc II is fast and is marked Playful, Like an improvisation; Energized, Passionate.

A version for viola and piano also exists of Toft Serenade.  It is identical, just transposed down a perfect fifth.

— Augusta Read Thomas

Selected Reviews

Stephen Brookes, The Washington Post Music review: High-class experimentalism from League of the Unsound Sound

"Augusta Read Thomas's Toft Serenade from 2006 has so much presence it seems sculpted; perhaps that was due to the extraordinary performance by violinist Courtney Orlando."

 

Rachel Barton Pine, violinist, and Matthew Hagle, pianist

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Augusta Read Thomas's works, please contact G. Schirmer Inc..