GAVIN HIGGINS
Sarabande
for orchestra
Sarabande Programme Note
Originally a fast, lascivious Spanish dance that was considered disreputable and banned in Spain in 1538, the Sarabande was later slowed down and incorporated into baroque dance suites. Often placed in very middle or surrounded by lively Courantes and Gigues, the Sarabande as we now know it is a slow, processional, courtly dance in binary form (AB), in triple meter, that begins without an upbeat.
In many ways my Sarabande is not a Sarabande at all, but rather a response to the the Sarabande’s of the past. In it, I have attempted to capture the stately nature of the baroque version of the dance, but also – perhaps – some of the passion and sensuality of its original form.
The first part primarily features the string section – muted and played dolce espressivo – with the main theme of the piece heard in the opening bars: a simple motif of a rising minor 6th that falls a minor 3rd (D, B♭, G). The second part sees a series of florid woodwind solos – piccolo, oboe, flute, clarinet, cor anglais, and finally bassoon and bass clarinet – that builds to an ecstatic climax for full orchestra, with brass double tonguing ‘as fast as possible’. The piece ends with a brief coda where the material from the opening is brought back – a mere shadow of the opening bars – this time played on harp harmonics with the strings played with the bow col legno tratto, ‘half wood and half hair’.
Instrumentation
2 Flutes (I & II = picc.)
2 Oboes (II = ca.)
2 B♭ Clarinets
Bass Clarinet
2 Bassoons (II = cbsn.)
4 Horns
2 Trumpets
2 Trombones
Tuba
Timpani
3 Perscussion:
Prc. 1. - Bass Drum; Tam-tam.
Prc. 2. - Crotales; Almglocken; Tam-tam.
Prc. 3. - Tubular Bells.
Harp
Piano
Strings (min 12.10.8.6.4 - preferably 16.14.12.10.6.)
Score is transposed
Duration: 6 mins
Copyright © 2023 by Gavin Higgins
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SARABANDE
Short Pieces for Orchestra
Nimbus and Lyrita have published a series of shorter orchestral works by Augusta Read Thomas, Richard Blackford, George Lloyd and Gavin Higgins. These Short Pieces for Orchestra (SPO) will be sold with a three-year, unlimited performance licence offering much better value for money than typical hire arrangements. Some pieces have been extracted from larger symphonic works and each is published with a descriptive name to support thematic programming and engage with the new “streaming” audience. This series supports the desire to perform, programme and introduce audiences to new repertoire for less initial cost, and allows multiple performances for no additional cost. Each kit will contain a full conductors score and one “master part” per instrument along with a licence for the ensemble to copy and perform as often as they like for the next three years. Between three and fifteen minutes SPO are perfect for opening your concert or inserting just before the interval to create a talking point.
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I have attempted to capture the stately nature of the baroque version of a Sarabande, but also – perhaps – some of the passion and sensuality of the Saraband’s original dance form.
For more information contact: www.wyastone.co.uk publishing@wyastone.co.uk
