World premiere: October, 14, 2023, Tenri Cultural Institute, Manhattan, NY, Da Capo Chamber Players, James Baker, conductor
This is the sixth work of mine written for the Da Capo Chamber Players, extending a deeply appreciated collaboration spanning several decades and encouraged especially by the group’s longtime director, flutist Patricia Spencer. For the work itself, I imagined something breezy and fleeting; this led to the creation of a series of dance episodes buffeted by several “calls to the dance” or “incantations.” Some of the dance forms have been favored by composers over centuries but are flavored here with contemporary accents. The work’s plan is as follows: Incantations I and II (separated by a brief episode); Dance 1: fast and lively; Incantation III; Dance 2: in the style of a classical minuet; Dance 3: a hoedown; Dance 4: in the style of a Renaissance pavane with an extended middle section and reprise; and Dance 5: fast and lively, and recapping elements of Dances 1 and 3 while moving briskly towards the work’s finish.
Review
“It was a joy to hear a work that, for all its brilliance and sophistication, was immediately accessible, with clearly discernible dance references (the characteristics of a minuet, a hoedown, and pavane, for example). There was not a dull moment, and the Da Capo ensemble with percussionist John Ferrari achieved split-second timing under the leadership of conductor James Baker. Pianist Steven Beck was remarkable here and throughout the evening for his almost surgical precision. One could hardly imagine finding a better performance of this work. It was another feather in the cap of Da Capo to feature this very worthy composer.”
Discs
