Ideal for students beginning their journey in violin performance, Three Pieces for Polly (2004) offers an intriguing insight into Ritchie's musical style from the perspective of a child in the early stages of their studies. Written for young friend Polly Hoskins, the pieces present a sunny idyll-a simple start on open strings followed by a siciliana and a courtly dance. In progressing from the first piece to the third, there come increasing demands for fingering, bowing, phrasing and control.
John Ritchie was one of New Zealand’s senior composers. Throughout a long composing career, he elected to write in an accessible and traditional manner, often in stark contrast to much of the work being produced by his contemporaries in the style of the European avant garde. He created a body of work which, while less well-known than it deserves to be, is loved and enjoyed by performers and audiences alike for its deft craftsmanship and pleasing melodic grace.
