Stone, Salt & Sky: Beamish, Maconchy, Strachan, R Clarke Gaia Duo

• Rebecca Clarke (1886 - 1979), Gaia Duo: Grotesque:
• 1Clarke, Duo: Grotesque02:35
• Lullaby:
• 2Clarke, Duo: Lullaby03:16
• Sally Beamish (b. 1956), Gaia Duo: Stone, Salt and Sky:
• 3Beamish, Duo: Stone, Salt and Sky: I. Processional04:33
• 4Beamish, Duo: Stone, Salt and Sky: II. Horizon07:33
• 5Beamish, Duo: Stone, Salt and Sky: III. Harbour Blues04:10
• Elizabeth Maconchy (1907 - 1994), Gaia Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations):
• 6Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): I. Theme Andante moderato01:00
• 7Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): II. Variation I Allegro00:18
• 8Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): III. Variation II Andante espressivo, rubato01:05
• 9Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): IV. Variation III Allegro commodo –01:08
• 10Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): V. Variation IV Molto moderato, espressivo –01:32
• 11Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): VI. Variation V Allegro molto00:33
• 12Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): VII. Variation VI Allegro vigoroso00:48
• 13Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): VIII. Variation VII Lento serioso02:12
• 14Maconchy, Duo: Duo (Theme and Variations): IX. Variation VIII Allegro molto01:49
• Gaia Duo: Antibes:
• 15Duo: Antibes05:16
• Duncan Strachan, Gaia Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird:
• 16Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: I. Among twenty snowy mountains02:23
• 17Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: II. I was of three minds00:57
• 18Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: III. The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds01:09
• 19Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: IV. A man and a woman are one01:37
• 20Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: V. The blackbird whistling, or just after00:35
• 21Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: VI. The shadow of the blackbird02:07
• 22Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: VII. O thin men of Haddam, why do you imagine golden birds?02:03
• 23Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: VIII. I know noble accents02:02
• 24Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: IX. When the blackbird flew out of sight00:56
• 25Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: X. At the sight of the blackbirds flying in a green light01:07
• 26Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: XI. He rode over Connecticut in a glass coach00:45
• 27Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: XII. The river is moving02:17
• 28Strachan, Duo: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: XIII. The blackbird sat in the cedar-limbs03:37
• Total Runtime59:23

Info for Stone, Salt & Sky: Beamish, Maconchy, Strachan, R Clarke

Formed in 2019, award-winning violin and cello duo GAIA have rapidly won plaudits for their pioneering programming and bold and daring performances.Their debut album release features three works specially written for the duo, and also bears testimony to their championing of works by underrepresented and overlooked voices from classical music’s past.

Elements of folk and jazz string-playing styles rub shoulders with traditional chamber-music imperatives in a programme that is full of women’s voices: those of the performers; of composers Sally Beamish, Rebecca Clarke and Elizabeth Maconchy; and of the singers of two Scottish folksongs, taped recordings of which frame Duncan Strachan’s hauntingly evocative Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.

"Alice and Katrina’s openness, creativity and strong commitment to developing their creativity and musical life has been evident from the birth of GAIA. They are a wonderful example of a contemporary chamber ensemble who both value and celebrate the tradition but are eager to explore the new and what it means to be a chamber musician in the 21st Century." (Paul Tracey, Chief Executive - Chamber Music Scotland)

It was a real pleasure to work with Katrina and Alice on a new duo. They brought so much to the table in terms of ideas and enthusiasm, and their playing was a direct inspiration for the work, leading me to explore new techniques and colours. I was glad to have their input in creating the work, and their performance was fresh, exciting and fun - with beautiful expressivity as well." (Sally Beamish OBE, Composer)

GAIA Duo

GAIA are an award winning violin and cello duo, comprising two of Scotland’s most distinguished chamber musicians - Katrina Lee and Alice Allen. Winners of Chamber Music Scotland highly competitive and prestigious two year residency, GAIA are at the forefront of innovative and pioneering programming with exciting, bold and daring performances that push the boundaries of string duo performance and creative programming. Their impressive and growing collection of bespoke commissions from world renowned composers includes Sally Beamish, Kim Moore (Sound designer for SuperFan, Nose Dive), and Duncan Strachan (Maxwell Quartet). GAIA celebrate and champion works by under-represented voices within classical music and their commitment to spotlight historical works by uncredited women composers sees them explore current issues of gender inequality within classical music, making them one of today's the most exciting and dynamic duos of our times. ​

Both Alice and Katrina are previous Scottish Ensemble Young Artists and between them boast an impressive array of instrumental awards. During her time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Katrina was recipient of every string prize awarded by the Conservatoire. She was also the recipient of the International Konigin Sophie Charlotte competition for Violin. During Alice’s two year masters at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland she was recipient of the Durbar-Gerber Chamber Music Award, Thomas and Margaret Roddan Trust Scholarship and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s Concerto Competition. Whilst studying at the Royal Northern College of Music Alice was winner of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s professional experience scheme.

GAIA are regular performers at the Royal Conservatoire’s annual PLUG Contemporary Music Festival, which showcases the talent of current composition students. GAIA were recently commissioned by the world renowned Courtauld Gallery in London, to compose a piece of music inspired by Claude Monet’s 'Antibes' from the gallery's extensive collection of prized art. Other recent highlights include an award winning performance of Konstantinos Terzakis piece ‘Invisible Sound’ which saw the composer awarded second prize at the 4th International Composer Award in Vienna. This outstanding ensemble regularly work on cross-arts collaboration, and their work with award winning Glasgow based artist Jennifer Wicks has been showcased by Centre for Contemporary Arts. ​

Alice and Katrina are co-founders of the Scottish Freelancers Ensemble, formed as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, helping our community of freelance musicians support each other to keep our art alive.

Booklet for Stone, Salt & Sky: Beamish, Maconchy, Strachan, R Clarke