I have been organising my latest compositions and decided I will use Opus numbers because though it sounds pretentious it makes the list of compositions into a proper organised catalogue. I wrote these pieces based on folk and traditional art music tunes to play with my wife Carole on our two plastic recorders which are always lying around in the house. When I made versions for other instruments I found that the original version concieved on recorders sounded the best, so I must have been doing something right....

Op. 27 Ludi Musici I – 7 Pieces Based on Well Known Themes (Recorder Version Published on Sibelius Music)

This collection of pieces was conceived and scored for myself and my wife to play on treble and tenor recorders. It is called Ludi Musici after Samuel Scheidt who published four books of pieces, (only one survives), most of which are based on pre-existing material. I have made versions for two viols and two violins but the 2-octave range of the recorder explains why the full range of the string instruments is not used. Flutes could play the recorder version as they are easily within range and of similar timbre. The pieces are: (1) Variations on Brigg Fair, (2) Variations on Dives and Lazarus, (3) La Battaglia, (4) The Cuckoo, (5) Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home, (6) La Cioccona, (7) Ich Stund an Einem Morgen.