Nigel worked with Peter Sheppard Skareved (violin) last Saturday (26 April) on his cycle of miniatures written for solo violin and solo viola entitled BRUEG[H]EL’S BRUSH. The work is inspired by paintings by the Northern Renaissance artists Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Pieter Brueghel the Younger. The commission is part of a partnership between Nigel, Peter Sheppard Skærved and The Royal Museums of Fine Arts Belgium.  The partnership will also be built around historic instruments dating back to the period of the Bruegel family.

The collaboration has additional support from Research England, The Royal Academy of Music London and Knowledge Exchange Violin.  

Nigel said: “It is always an exciting, special and unique experience to hear the notes come-off the page for the first time and become real musical-sounds, gestures and expressions. On Saturday I heard for the the first first time much of the slow material from BRUEG[H]EL’S BRUSH and look forward to hearing the remaining movements soon. Though I have collaborated on many solo violin works, string orchestra works and concertos with Peter, I never tire Peter’s musical insight, intuition  and musicality”

A big shout-out goes to Christine Ayoub of The Royal Museums of Fine Arts Belgium for all her help with this project.

More information about this partnership and collaboration will follow soon!

Below the two photographs is a (low-fi) sneak preview of the ninth movement of BRUEG[H]EL’S BRUSH’ entitled `The Massacre of the Innocents’ for solo viola.

`The Massacre of the Innocents’ [Pieter Brueghel the Younger]’ Photograph courtesy The Royal Museums of Fine Arts Belgium

 

Peter Sheppard Skærved working with Nigel on BRUEG[H]EL’S BRUSH. The photo is taken from a screen grab by Peter during the session.