Peter Hope (b. 1930), a British composer, wrote his 4 woodwind sonatas between 2009 and 2015. His musical syntax is conservative and accessible. The lyrical, somewhat jazzy Sonata for Oboe (2009) celebrates the memory of Lady Barbirolli, wife of the famed conductor. Hope exploits the oboe’s special timbre in major and minor modes. The 2nd mvmt is a spirited scherzo. The Allegro last mvmt captures the honky-tonk, 1940s atmosphere of nightclubs and boogie-woogie. The Clarinet Sonata (2015) celebrates the opening of the Royal College of Music’s Carroll Walkway. The opening Moderato is leisurely, while the Vivace moves in 9/8 time. The 3rd mvmt, “The Clarinetist on the Roof,” is a parody of “Fiddler on the Roof,” and sounds like Klezmer or Jewish folk-music.
The Sonata for Recorder (2016) has an archaic sound, opening with a Fantasia with short chords from the piano before becoming more flowing, and then returning to the opening material. Threnody is an elegy for musical historian Nicholas Henshell. The last mvmt, Moto perpetuo, is a virtuoso piece in 16th notes. A brief interlude in jazz style interrupts the proceedings.
The Bassoon Sonata (2015) begins with Freely: Allegro inquieto, in a spiky rhythm followed by a more tranquil section. The opening bassoon riff returns at the mvmt’s end, leading directly into the Lento. The bassoon sings in a high register. Giocoso is a lively and animated rondo. Tallis Remembered (2013), for recorder, clarinet and piano, is a set of variations based on a canon by Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis. A Walk with my dog, Molly (2016), for recorder solo and narrator, is an elegy in five short pieces or “events” for the family pet who passed away.