Saxophone Journal - May/June 2011

Ian Stewart has released an excellent new CD, titled Islas. Ian Stewart states this description in the CD's release and no one can say it better. "Classical music has been influenced by folk and popular music and today with the revival of interest in folk music and psychedelic as well as thriving ambient Celtic and New age music scenes there are many opportunities to integrate these influences into classical chamber music. The classical saxophone with its vocal quality is the perfect instrument for such styles, along with the violin, a mainstay of folk music for centuries and the piano which so common in ambient and New Age music. Islas released on the Music Chamber label is a new CD featuring new chamber music which uses techniques from Celtic and folk traditions (drones, simple chords, and clear melodic forms), and in some sections imitates the sounds of folk instruments such as the autoharp, hurdy-gurdy and tanpura."

Stewart is a professional composer, orchestrate, and musician who grew up in England, Scotland, and Malta. He is a classically trained pianist who also played the trombone in the Scottish Youth Brass Band and the San Gejtanu Band in Hamrun, Malta. He also plays electric keyboards and produces "electronica."

The featured saxophonist is Kyle Horch, who performs on both the soprano and tenor saxophones for this recording. Kyle Horch studied with Fred Hemke at Northwestern University, after which he won a BP North America Scholarship to pursue post graduate study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Stephen Trier. He has performed as a recitalist at the Purcell Room, QEH, Blackheath Recital Hall, British and World Saxophone Congresses. He has been saxophone professor at the Royal College of Music since 1993.

Kyle Horch is joined in this project by pianist Pavel Timofejevsky who studied at the Royal Academy Music from2002 with Professor Tatiana Sarkissova, graduating with the Bachelor of Music degree in 2006 and receiving the Leslie England Award for gaining one of the highest marks in his Final recital. They are joined by violinist Guillem Calvo, who began his studies with the Suzuki teacher Albert Sàrrias in Barcelona. He graduated from the Conservatori del Liceu and studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Evelio Tieles and Yossi Zivoni.

Islas is the title of the opening selection. and was composed for soprano saxophone and piano. It has a soft gentle rhythm with through Kyle Horch's beautiful soprano saxophone glides, creating an interesting musical sound landscape. Kyle Horch has a stunning soprano saxophone sound that surrounds you with its warmth, while the piano completes the picture supplying an equally warming harmony upon which to hang our landscape.

The violin is added to this duo for Astral Hurdy-Gurdy, which occurs in three movements. The soprano saxophone starts with beautiful soliloquy, and then all three are playing a repeated figure that is quite fascinating. The soprano suddenly breaks away, backed up pizzicato violin and piano in a drone background. There is a delightful counterpoint between the three instruments before returning to the ensemble drone motif. The second movement is all lyricism spinning melodic lines between each member of the trio. The piano opens the third movement, followed by repeated unison with the violin, then soprano saxophone. The piece keeps evolving, and involving the listener deeper into the music. Throughout Astral Hurdy-Gurdy the soprano saxophone is some a focal point for the piece, which makes it all that much better.

Mornwards, for soprano saxophone and piano, is the next selection. It is an excellent composition with broad sweeping themes that carry your imagination up and away on melodies with wings. The next selection is a violin sonata, followed by Lime Groves of South Kensington, composed for violin, tenor saxophone, and piano. Lime is at times reminiscent of psychedelic rock music. Kyle Horch supplies an interesting tenor saxophone sound using very little vibrato. The final selection is As Far As You Can See and was composed for tenor saxophone and piano. Here Kyle Horch utilizes a delightful saxophone vibrato and tone.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable collaboration of saxophonist, pianist, and composer who all worked exceedingly well together. In addition, there are several outstanding new additions to the saxophone library thanks to composer Ian Stewart. They were created for the saxophone, not adapted to the saxophone. This is definitely must get CD. §

Paul Wagner
Website of : Saxophone Journal

Clarinet and Saxophone Society Magazine - Spring 2011

This collection of contemporary chamber music by British composer Ian Stewart is his second release on this label. It features six compositions for saxophone, violin and piano in various combinations - three short pieces and three more substantial works in several movements. The saxophone is clearly an instrument that appeals to the composer, who has written extensively for sax ensembles large and small, and here the soprano and tenor saxophones are eloquent communicators in the hands of Kyle Horch.

This is an album that wears its heart on its sleeve; with a complete absence of liner notes it was possible to deduce from the music and artwork alone a lot of information about the composer that on subsequent investigation proved to be accurate. This is melodic contemporary music, with a Celtic flavour, minimalist elements and influences from the world of pop, psychedelia, and electronica. Both the saxophone and violin are close to the human voice in expression, and many of these pieces have a song-like quality.

The three instruments appear in disguise as another in both the aptly named Astral Hurdy Gurdy and Lime Groves of South Kensington with its autoharp sounds. The former features much use of repeating figures, rhythmic unison and open fifths, and showcases the soprano in simple or decorated melodies, often reminiscent of a traditional Scottish tune. In the latter, with its Eastern feel, Kyle Horch displays the range of the tenor personality, soft and clarinettish at times and elsewhere with a contrasting poppy edge.

The violin sonata is thought-provoking and full if ideas. Among the shorter pieces, the title track is thoughtful and meditative with a decorated soprano melody, while Mornwards and As Far As You Can See are simple and pastoral with the instant appeal of a pop song. This music is atmospheric, evocative, sometimes hypnotic; occasionally meandering, it reminded me of a patchwork quilt of thematic material. Overall the CD offers an enjoyable listening experience and a relaxing wind-down at the end of the day.

Alison Owen-Morley
Website of : Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain