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Terpsichore, Op.7 (Dance Poem for Large Orchestra)

(Track 4;14.14 mins)

Terpsichore explores the concept of how one might construct a vibrant and colourful latter-day orchestral “showpiece” (in the same spirit as works such as Chabrier’s España) yet here by drawing together a diverse array of musical influences that would sit comfortably within a modern plural worldview, all set within a dance-inspired framework and containing nine programmatic episodes.

Thus, the work is intended as an “orchestral tour-de-force” consisting of a set of “aural pictures” that aim to maximise variety of orchestral colour and mood – ultimately rising to ecstatic frenzy by its conclusion. Naturally, rhythm – just as much as texture and orchestration – is a key element in this dance-based piece, and it treats the percussion section in a “democratic” way, as a full and equal partner with all other sections of the orchestra. The string section does not in this particular piece, therefore, occupy the pre-eminent position that it does in many 19th-century works, for instance – where the strings tend to play a good proportion of the time.

Terpsichore was the work that launched the composer’s series of epic orchestral tone pictures inspired by the “Nine Muses” of Greek myth, and features subtle use of newer types of minimalism blended with elements of the British pastoral tradition, conveying an orchestral “brilliance” and a sense of “ecstasy” at climactic points. Terpsichore set out to capture a great array of moods, all in a relatively short time frame, while also referencing other past and contemporary music, while challenging players and listeners alike with its strenuous performance and aural demands – in a wry, spirited, quirky, yet accessible and enjoyable way.