Description
A major new sequel recording, Prima Facie's Sonatas by Andrew Downes: Volume II, continues the compelling and deeply personal survey of the chamber works of British composer Andrew Downes (1950-2023), bringing together a distinguished roster of performers to honour one of the UK's most distinctive musical voices. Spanning more than three decades of composition--from Meditations for Solo Trumpet (1986) to the Bassoon Sonata (2022), Downes's final work--the album captures the breadth, imagination, and emotional depth that define his output. Through a sequence of sonatas and solo works, the recording traces the composer's evolving style, blending lyrical Romanticism with influences drawn from Tudor music, jazz, and global traditions. At the heart of the release is a series of vividly characterised sonatas for a wide range of instruments, including flute, piccolo, clarinet, violin, trumpet, and bassoon, each performed by leading artists in their field. Highlights include the Sonata for Flute and Piano (1998), a work that juxtaposes folk-inspired lyricism with rhythmic vitality, and the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2009), dedicated to its performers and praised for its expressive dialogue between instruments.
