Audio Sample
|
Performance by Loretta Palmeiro, Andrew Scott, David Groves, Steven Hillinger, Jamie Castrisos, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra from the CD Compositions 2011/2012 |
Selected products featuring this work — Display all products (2 more)
Display all products featuring this work (2 more)
Work Overview
The first movement, Blue, is a D minor blues. The time signature is 3+3+2/8, which changes into a jazz waltz in 6/8. Inspiration has come from No. 153 (Dance in Bulgarian Rhythm No. 6) from Mikrokosmos Vol. 6 for piano by Hungarian composer Bela Bartok (1881-1945). When Blue was first recorded it was quite evident that the two ensembles enjoyed the opportunity to "cross-over" into one another's worlds, something they do not do on a daily basis.
Emotions such as sadness, despair, loneliness and a sense of loss are portrayed in Black, a C minor ballad in slow 4/4 time depicting a black or dark state of mind. Melodic and atmospheric inspiration has come from the film soundtrack themes reflecting the same pathos: Theme from the Bodyguard by Alan Silvestri (1992) scored for trumpet, strings and piano, and Vesper's Theme from Casino Royale by David Arnold (2006) scored for piano and strings.
White displays the joyous celebration of a white wedding in Africa. Indigenous South African music which combines traditional music and popular styles has influenced the compositional language here. A raw, authentic and colourful African sound with call and response passages, marimba ostinato patterns, poly-rhythms and rapidly changing meter is aimed for. The sounds of African instruments such as ankle rattles, bells, drums, maracas, mbira, musical bow, reed flute, xylophone, and the saxophone and penny whistle as played in township jazz, are re-created.
Work Details
Year: 2011
Instrumentation: 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb (2nd doubling bass clarinet in Bb), 2 bassoons, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in Bb, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (2 players), strings. Jazz quartet: alto saxophone, piano, double bass, drums.
Duration: 17 min.
Difficulty: Advanced
Contents note: Blue -- Black -- White (A Wedding in Africa).
First performance: by Loretta Palmeiro, Andrew Scott, David Groves, Steven Hillinger, Jamie Castrisos, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra at Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Composer Workshop (Roseville College Auditorium) on 3 Apr 2012
Subjects
- In the form/style of: Third Stream
Performances of this work
8 Apr 2022: at Alchemy: Jazz Meets the Orchestra (Richard Gill Auditorium, WAAPA). Featuring Jamie Oehlers, Jon Tooby, WAAPA Symphony Orchestra, Joe Bell, Arvis Mena Lescay, Tom O'Halloran.
16 Aug 12: featuring Loretta Palmeiro, Andrew Scott, David Groves, Jamie Cameron, Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.
3 Apr 2012: at Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Composer Workshop (Roseville College Auditorium). Featuring Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, Steven Hillinger, David Groves, Andrew Scott, Loretta Palmeiro, Jamie Castrisos.
21 Apr 11: featuring Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Loretta Palmeiro, Andrew Scott, David Groves, Cameron Reid.
User reviews
Be the first to share your thoughts, opinions and insights about this work.
To post a comment please login.