Dialog

1/11/99 for didgeridu & band

Composer's note

This was written for a group in Switzerland, to play at a concert on 1/1/2000; they suggested the interesting and unusual combination of didgeridu and symphonic wind band. Because of the nature of the occason, I decided to include a text in the piece, in a spirit of hope for the new millenium. It is taken from the Universal Declaration of Human rights;

'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.'

The piece itself is quite straightforward, funky even; the didge is mainly used to set up rhythms which propel the piece along. Hidden under the hood are some deliberate modernist touches, including, unusually for me, some serialism.

Notes

SPNM listing

Shortlisted for professional performance by the Society for the Promotion of New Music in 2000.

Performances

Recording below is of student performance by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Wind Orchestra, cond. Bryan Allen Conductor, John Kenny Didgeridu. There was also an unofficial performance of an incomplete version by Peter Hadley with the Weslyan Wind Ensemble.

The Swiss group who suggested the piece never got around to playing it.

Forces

Didgeridu in C, Piccolo, 2 Flutes, Oboe, 3 Bb Clarinets, Bass clarinet, Bassoon, 2 Alto saxes, Tenor sax, Baritone sax (optional), 3 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, Eb Bass, BBb Bass, 2 Percussionists (important marimba part)

Duration ~11'

Recording

dialog.mp3 (10'42, 15.4 MB)