Born in Albania in 1958, Thomas Simaku is now a British citizen, and is Professor of Composition at the University of York. He moved to the UK in 1991, and this Andante and Scherzo was one of the first pieces he wrote in Britain, composed for the Yorkshire bassoonists who befriended and supported him at that time. Although entirely original, the music is imbued with the modal and often spicy language of Albanian folk melodies, with very distinct harmonies and rhythms. Simaku admits that since then his compositional style has changed significantly, but this folk-inspired gem, beautifully voiced with superb use of the instrument’s resonances and colours, remains a very special work in the bassoon ensemble repertoire.

from notes by Laurence Perkins © 2025