Poul Ruders

Sonatas

Sonatas - Six Pieces of Music for Large Wind Ensemble, Percussion, Harp and Piano by Poul Ruders (2011).

Preface / Programme Note

Normally, when being confronted with theterm ´sonata´, we tend tothink of a substantial composition for piano solo in three movements, predominantly by Mozart or Beethoven. The word, however, derives from the Italian ´sonare´ meaning ´toplay´. In the 16th. Century acomposition entitled ´sonata´ merely indicated a piece of music forinstruments, as opposed to the ´cantata´ - a piece involving voices. The Italian cantare simplymeans´to sing´.

The present suite SONATAS is a composition subtitled ´six pieces of music for large wind ensemble, percussion, piano and harp´. It opens with a REVEILLE, a short ´wake-upcall´, a fanfare opening the gate into what follows.

The second movement is called PASTORALE and certainly is that, a peaceful unfolding of gentlechords and sounds of a bucolic nature. Nothing dramatic happens, whereas in the third movement SCHERZO the wood winds chaseeach other in a wild relay run.

Then, all of a sudden, the mood changes, and we are plunged rightinto the middle of the darkest night. In the NOCTURNE, unnervinglysubtitled sinistro, the low rumbling chords in the trombones and prickly outburst in oboes and horns form the sinister back drop to this wordless Grand Guignol. Which merges seamlessly into PANORAMA, an unfolding festive, almostpageant like ´sound-scape´of dancing rhytms and jubilant scales. Slowly, however, the tempodrops and the former boisterous body of sound is being slowly and mercilessly ´skeletonized´ - and at the end thereis nothing left. RETRAITE - 'the last post'. The day is over, the sun sets.

Orchestration: 4444/6441/timp. 3perc/hp. pf