Format : Sheet music
Commissioned by Britten Sinfonia and Town Hall Birmingham in 2009-10. Nicholas Daniel gave the premiere with Britten Sinfonia and together they have performed it many times since with a recording on the Harmonia Mundi label. In three contrasting movements this is a major addition to the repertory of concertante oboe works.
SKU: HL.48024099
ISBN 9780851627816. UPC: 888680706203. 9.0x12.0x0.21 inches.
SKU: HL.48024115
ISBN 9780851628219. UPC: 888680708962. 7.25x10.25 inches.
This work was written for the Britten Sinfonia and Nicholas Daniel, and is dedicated to him. It is in three movements. The first opens with a gradual building up of rhythmic layers on violas, bassoon and trumpet before the soloist joins in. Suddenly the music is thrown forward by a metrical modulation and becomes very fast, flighty and virtuosic. Structurally, the music eventually goes into reverse before a solemn coda. The second movement is based on an earlier work for solo oboe, in angustiis... The solo material is expressive and sad, and enters into much dialogue with other wind instruments throughout. The reflective character of the movement is interrupted by little dyadic patterns, various pizzicato outbursts, some scherzo-like material and agitated faster passages, but the principal mood is introverted and cantabile. The last movement begins brashly and has a clownish character. The overall feeling is extrovert and dramatic, showing off the oboe in fast display. Some of the original ideas from the opening movement are re-introduced in new guises, before an exultant and joyous ending.