Holbrooke: Violin Concerto ‘The Grasshopper’
and Violin Sonata No. 1 (‘Sonatina’), Op. 6a
Horn Trio in D (original version), Op. 28
Violin Concerto ‘The Grasshopper’ (Violin Sonata No. 2), Op. 59
Mezzo-Tints, Op. 55 No. 2: L’Extase
Kerenza Peacock (violin), Mark Smith (horn) & Robert Stevenson (piano)

Naxos 8572649

A well produced and very fully documented release which will tell you all you'll need about Joseph Holbrooke (1878-1958), a now nearly forgotten composer whose pleasant enough music was occasionally championed by Beecham in my younger days (his son Gwidion Brooke was the RPO bassoonist).

The solo part of the Grasshopper Concerto is published also as two "sonatas" - one (the other) easier than that recorded here with good piano accompaniment. Kerenza Peacock, leader of the Pavao Quartet, plays one of the RAM's Strads.

It is not certain that the concerto was ever performed with orchestra - an opportunity for a college or an amateur orchestra perhaps to showcase with an award winning violinist?

Naxos found a good grasshopper for their illustration.

Peter Grahame Woolf