Single Malt, scored for string orchestra, was commissioned in 2015 by Martin Anderson in memory of his partner, Yodit. Cast in a single movement, the piece is more or less in two parts. The first, marked by an aggressive introduction which, after some contrapuntal tossing of themes across the strings, settles on a series of chords which might be characterised as unsettled. Divided violins later introduce a diatonic melody of an aching tenderness, and the section reintroduces segments of music heard in the first half. After an isolated solo violin intones the slow theme, the piece ends on a muted, divided chord. This young work has already enjoyed several performances in the USA, Russia and at the Edinburgh Festival, where Misha Rachlevsky led the Russian String Orchestra.
The piece is dedicated to Martin Anderson, in friendship, and in memory of Yodit – hodie tibi, cras mihi