Rebecca Clarke

“Today, with recordings aimed at rediscovering the buried treasures of centuries past flourishing, it is difficult to ignore the work of Rebecca Clarke. If you have not yet had the pleasure of encountering her, one thing is certain: you will not forget her anytime soon. Violist Vinciane Béranger, accompanied by Dana Ciocarlie, Hélène Collerette, and David Louwerse, has dedicated an album to the works for viola by Clarke, who was both a composer and a performer (one of the first professional women in England). Her music, at the crossroads of different trends, navigates between French music, modality, British folklore, harmonic audacity and exoticism. But there are no vain imitations here: Clarke draws on these trends to construct a completely atypical and resolutely modern language. From her masterful Viola Sonata to the poetic Morpheus, via her Dumka trio and Chinese Puzzle duo, the performers strive to paint a musical portrait of this iconoclastic composer. The recording is enriched by the world premiere of Irish Melody, a lost score that was recently rediscovered.” – France Musique

• Viola Sonata
• Morpheus
• Passacaglia on an old English Tune
• Chinese Puzzle, excerpt from Shorter pieces
• Dumka, duo concertant for violin, viola and piano
• Irish Melody (Emer’s Farewell to Cucullain) “Londonderry Air”
• Lullaby and Grotesque

With Vinciane Béranger (viola), Hélène Collerette (violin) and David Louwerse (cello)