Score
The farce we must all play : concerto for piano and orchestra / David Slater.
Library shelf no. 784.262186/SLA 1 [Available for loan]
Work Overview
This concerto takes its title from a text by the Argentinian poet
Alejandra Pizarnik, who suffered from depression and eventually
took her life at age 36. In two larger outer movements with a
brief Intermezzo between, it explores the heights and depths
which form the day to day experience of a sufferer of
depression.
The musical material for the whole concerto is almost entirely
derived from the intervallic structure of the opening motif. The
first movement is episodic, swinging between dark cadenzas and
sweeping romantic passages and concluding with a disturbing
passage for the soloist which merges seamlessly into the
Intermezzo. Here the music marks time with the soloist's almost
continuous quavers in octave leaps. Occasionally the piano
interrupts its own line, but essentially little happens, though a
gradual movement towards something yet to come is perceptible.The
third movement, Scherzo and Chorale, arrives quietly at first but
then with increasing energy and excitement. The central section
begins with the pianist accompanying a solo oboe whose melody
grows into full orchestra. From this more sombre music the
scherzo re-emerges, finally combined with a brighter version of
the chorale. The cadenza in this movement is the only one which
is joyous, the others being dark in character. Once again there
is a bleak passage from the soloist, which leads into a grand
coda.
Work Details
Year: 2016
Instrumentation: 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone (or tuba), timpani, percussion (4 players), piano solo, strings.
Duration: 19 min.
Difficulty: Advanced — The solo part is of advanced difficulty. The orchestral parts are designed to be performed by a good youth or community orchestra
Dedication note: Dedicated to Anthony Baldwin
Commission note: Commissioned by Anthony Baldwin.
The work is composed for Mental Health Awareness Week to draw attention to the widespread suffering caused by depression
Subjects
- In the form/style of: Concertos
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