Work
Sinfonietta
for string orchestra
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About
The work starts with repeated unison 'D's, which are a complete red herring. It was in a programme with Mozart and I thought it would be quite fun to have the audience believe that they were going to hear a classical piece. This is soon subverted as chromaticism takes over and the music explodes into 16 solo lines. The form of Sinfonietta is unusual, in that it is loudest at the ends and empty in the middle. Out of the central calm is revealed the twelve tone melody that was the original inspiration for the piece. This gradually grows, taking the work back to its original intensity.
Commissioned note
Commissioned by and performed by the New Zealand Chamber Orchestra in 1996
Performance history
05 Feb 1997: Performed by the New Zealand Chamber Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Young