Prayer for solo viola was written Nash Ensemble viola player Lawrence Power, who gave the first performance in 2009. Anderson’s 7-minute piece describes an act of devotion, with its attendant moods: complaint, tirade, plea and acceptance. “The basic trajectory”, Anderson writes, “is an upwardly flowing melodic line, by turns contemplative and passionately lyrical”.

 

“Prayer is an important addition to the repertoire and a pleasing consequence of this composer’s uncommonly wide-ranging inspirations and preoccupations.”
Tempo (Paul Conway), July 2009