‘Fast music of individuality and wit...  They should be widely taken up.’   The Musical Times

Instrumentation

Availability

Score 0571511112 on sale

Programme Notes

Although, as the title implies, these studies are all fast, they are not in the first place studies in pianistic virtuosity – I am no pianist myself – so much as studies in various ways of composing fast music. All are short and concentrated, with few lasting more than a minute. Since the order of performance and the number of studies played (there is not obligation to play them all) is largely up to the pianist, there is not point in attempting to describe them, except to say that in a complete version one (which should be placed near the end) is a nocturne, with the only slow textures of the eleven, and the final piece is in the nature of a toccata. 

Reviews

‘Boldly virtuoso Studies.’
Gramophone (Michael Oliver), January 1996

‘Fast music of individuality and wit; the fact that they may be performed in (almost) any order adds an extra dimension to their whimsical but frequently inspired play with familiar materials and textures.  They should be widely taken up.’
The Musical Times (Keith Potter), October 1987

Eleven Studies in Velocity

St John's Smith Square (London, United Kingdom)

Joseph Houston

Eleven Studies in Velocity

No.2 and No.5

Helsinki Music Centre, Paavo Hall (Helsinki, Finland)

Students at the Sibelius Academy

Eleven Studies in Velocity

Purcell Room, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom)

Joseph Houston/Louise Alder/Gary Mathewman

Eleven Studies in Velocity

Selection from. 10 am

Wigmore Hall (London, United Kingdom)

Musicians from the RNCM

Eleven Studies in Velocity

5.15pm

Martin Harris Centre, University of Manchester (Manchester, United Kingdom)

Students from the RNCM