Orchestral

A relatively short first movement in sonata form. The opening theme is a rather tense rhythmic motif which is gradually tamed, as the piece progresses, by the more pastoral counter-theme.

A longer slow movement for which some of the orchestration still seems a bit thin. I may get around to some modifications at some point.

A brief and rather vicious scherzo. This was the first movement actually written, and was originally entitled 'Serious Defect'. This just seemed to write itself in a matter of hours. It isn't often that it rolls so fluently. From the point of view of intellectual satisfaction this is the favourite of all my pieces, whilst being possibly the most challenging from a prospective listeners perspective.

The final movement is longest, being a sort of symphony within a symphony. A form with several famous precedents. The outer presto sections are broadly tonal but surround a more atonal andante middle section that peaks quite violently. It all builds towards a straightforward joyous finale that I think of as having African connotations, provided by the rhythms in the bass. Along the way we encounter, amongst other things, churchy fugual elements and some schmalzy waltzes that I just could not resist.
The audio dynamics in this movement are not quite right, so the opening starts out too quiet compared with what has gone before and what is to come. Basically it needs a remix.