Symphonic Dances

There are not as many symphonic dances out there as I’d supposed! Besides the famous works by Sergei Rachmaninov, Edvard Grieg, and Leonard Bernstein, I can recall only sets by Paul Hindemith, Halsey Stevens, Julian Orbon, and John Duffy. All of which are excellent, and no doubt I’ve missed some, but for a genre with so much to recommend it, a surprisingly paltry repertoire. So I decided to add my own contribution. This set of three rhythmically propulsive movements imagines contrasting approaches to the orchestral dance. We open with a heavy Allegro Moderato featuring energetic brass and playful wind, followed by a light Comodo led by bright fanfares and tripping string figures. Finally, we close Con Moto with rich blended sonorities and propulsive rhythms, leading to a triumphant conclusion.