Composer seeks a group for his new works

Baroque composer Ariel Walden prefers to maintain the original flavor and sound of early music

Reuters | Published: 03.31.09, 08:39

Ariel Walden was born in Jerusalem in 1972. His childhood years were spent in Israel, Denmark and Switzerland. He studied recorder in Geneva and music at Oxford University (UK). He now holds an MA in music.

Ariel composes baroque music in between running a freelance typesetting business in Modiin Ilit. He has rather fixed views about ancient music. Since being immersed in the genre from the age of eight years he prefers to compose music in the style he best remembers and loves. Granted, he recognizes changing styles and innovations during the last 300 years, but his preference is to maintain the original flavor and sound of early music.

"Baroque music is sweet," he quips.

Ariel has just had two sonatas published by PRB Productions in the United States. The sonatas are written in baroque style for recorder and basso continuo (harpsichord plus viola da gamba.)

Regarding the performance of these works, Ariel comments that the slow movements may be ornamented if desired, provided the ornamentation is adhered to the baroque performance practice. In fact, he welcomes other authentic artist innovation into his sonatas.

Ariel is interested to find a group willing to perform his new sonatas. You can listen to them on the website www.freelancebookdesign.com/music

Contact Ariel on [email protected]

It is most encouraging to discover more and more young Israeli artists and composers who are contributing so much to the growth and welfare of classical music development in Israel.