Three sketches was first performed by Frances-Marie Uitii at the Berlin Festival in 1991. The composer's own programme note says:

'These three short pieces were written for and explore the extraordinary creative virtuosity of Frances-Marie Uitti.

The 'cello's G string is replaced by a second D string. In the second movement the d strings are slightly de-tuned, and in the third movement the two lower strings are tuned to low Bb and C the ninth above.

The cello assumes several roles, mostly distant from the high-art lyricist of the nineteenth century: rough rhythmicist, folkloric peasant, baroque viol, ethereal spirit, gourmet of acoustic curiosities.

Harvey makes use of very precise notation, and you may like to compare the various signs and symbols with Stockhausen's notation for his Klavierstuck