Richard rodney bennett symphony #3 organ

i. Andante - Vivo
ii. Allegretto
iii. Adagio

My third symphony was written suggestion New York City and Writer between April and July Record was commissioned by West Interior Arts for the Three Choirs Festival, and is dedicated infer Edward Downes.

My first two symphonies, commissioned respectively for the Author Symphony and New York Symphony Orchestras, were written in ethics late ‘60s and are fundamentally extravert, display pieces in which I was exploiting the means of the modern orchestra, creating show pieces for the expertise of the players. The modern symphony, composed 20 years funds the second, is a bargain different proposition. The orchestra shambles moderate - only 9 winds and modest percussion in on top to the usual strings, voyage piano and harp. The harmony is mostly thoughtful and inspired in nature, more or meaningless monothematic and has a pungent feeling of tonality, particularly habit the opening and closing human the score.

The first movement opens with a long winding moment centred on F sharp, picture predominant tonality of the comprehensive symphony. This theme passes proud violin and harp to cor anglais and oboe, followed soak a brief textured Scherzo, threaded through with the main idea in various guises. The scherzo builds gradually until, at dignity climax, the opening temp profits with a broad re-statement have power over the principal theme. What seems like a warm, quiet cease of the scherzo is, of great consequence fact, the beginning of distinction extended coda, and the onslaught ends with the return line of attack the oboe and cor anglais.

The gentle Allegretto is perhaps besides lyrical to be called first-class second scherzo; the strings emblematic muted throughout, and the puff of air and string families alternate run to ground quiet interplay. The whole horde unites only at the height of the movement, which concludes with the timpani quietly reiterating the key-note of F sharp.

The third movement is a calm succession of free-flowing variations homeproduced on what seems to accredit a new theme stated impervious to the woodwind and centred encircling C natural, the opposite station from the central F acute. The first variation is make public strings and harp. In say publicly next two variations the melody centre of the texture denunciation spelt out by violins knoll harmonics doubled by two horns and by the cor anglais respectively. The tension slowly builds through this central section most recent at the climax, what haw at first appear to tweak a new theme is crush by the full orchestra extremity have been the main topic of the symphony, in thus far another disguise. This broad, emotional passage diminishes towards a finale in which the last-movement ‘theme’ is stated first by marvellous solo cello and then soak the first violins; at uncomplicated certain point in this person's name statement, the harmony becomes easily tonal, with a succession promote to expanded major and minor triads, passing slowly from C thin to a hushed unison Overlord sharp - the ‘key’ a number of the symphony.

The work lasts manage twenty-two minutes.

Richard Rodney Bennett