ARNOLD COOKE (1906-2005): Violin Sonatas No. 1 in G* and No. 2 in A, Sonata for Solo Violin*, Duo for Violin and Viola*. * - First Recordings.

Description: Cooke’s Hindemithian associations always come up first when discussing his music but in these four works the German’s clipped and austere style only appears in the 1969 solo violin sonata where Bartók is just as much evident. The two sonatas (1939 and 1951) are rather lyrical and melodic, especially their slow movements where there is an air of English pastoralism while the four-movement, 16-minute duo (1934-35) is a striking display of contrapuntal mastery. Benedict Holland (violin), Susie Mészáros (viola), Harvey Davies (piano).