Bright Cecilia: Variations on a Theme by Purcell
by Magnus Lindberg
[a co-commission of seven composers]
Description
Purcell's music has always been very important to me, and touching art of this value is dangerous. Yet I think he lived sufficiently long ago, and is safe enough in his reputation, for us not to be scared of damaging his music. I wouldn't do such a thing with Ravel, for instance.
I've taken on the sombre mood of Purcell's Funeral Music for Queen Mary that Stanley Kubrick created so successfully in his film A Clockwork Orange. He brought out its scary qualities. My variation is an amalgam of the "Great Gate of Kiev" - I wanted to call it the "Great Gate of Purcell" - and this Kubrick "take" on Purcell's music. I've respected the structure but brought my own flavour to the harmony. I'm a great fan of Francis Bacon - the way he based his work on the great tradition of anatomy but stretched and distorted it. It's a good test of a composer if, when faced with a tonal piece, your musical language is flexible enough to enter into it. I thought the least I could do is give the whole set of variations a proper tonal ending - the chord of G major. I hope it doesn't sound ridiculous: it's meant to be respectful!
© Magnus Lindberg 2002
(The Proms Festival, London)
Instrumentation orchestra
Instrument codes
| Abbreviation | Instrument |
|---|
| Woodwind | |
|---|
| acl | alto clarinet |
| afl | alto flute |
| arec | alto recorder |
| asax | alto saxophone |
| barsax | baritone saxophone |
| barhn | baritone horn |
| bcl | bass clarinet |
| bfl | bass flute |
| bob | bass oboe |
| bsax | bass saxophone |
| bsn | bassoon |
| cbsn | contrabassoon |
| cl | clarinet |
| ehn | English horn |
| fl | flute |
| hn | French horn |
| ob | oboe |
| pic | piccolo |
| rec | recorder |
| sax | saxophone |
| srec | soprano recorder |
| ssax | soprano saxophone |
| trec | tenor recorder |
| tsax | tenor saxophone |
| Brass | |
|---|
| ahn | alto horn |
| atrb | altotrombone |
| barhn | baritone horn |
| btrb | bass trombone |
| cornet | cornet |
| euph | euphonium |
| fhn | flugelhorn |
| hn | French horn |
| tba | tuuba |
| thn | tenor horn |
| trb | trombone |
| trp | trumpet |
| Percussion | |
|---|
| dr | drums |
| glock | glockenspiel |
| mar | marimba |
| perc | percussion |
| timp | timpani |
| vibr | vibraphone |
| xyl | xylophone |
| Strings | |
|---|
| db | double bass |
| gamba | viola da gamba |
| str | strings |
| vla | viola |
| vlc | cello |
| vln | violin |
| Other | |
|---|
| acc | accordion |
| cel | celesta |
| cemb | harpsichord |
| chords | chords |
| elbas | electric bass |
| elg | electric guitar |
| elorg | electric organ |
| elpno | electric piano |
| guit | guitar |
| harm | harmonium |
| hca | harmonica |
| hp | harp |
| instr | instrument |
| kantele | kantele |
| keyb | keyboard |
| live electr | live electronics |
| mand | mandolin |
| mel | melody |
| org | organ |
| pno | piano |
| synth | synthesizer |
| tape | tape |
| Vocal | |
|---|
| alto | alto |
| baryt | baritone |
| basso | bass voice |
| ch | choir |
| chc | childrens choir |
| chf | female choir |
| chm | male choir |
| chx | mixed choir |
| cten | countertenor |
| mezzo | mezzo-soprano |
| sopr | soprano |
| speaker | speaker |
| ten | tenor |
| voc | vocal |
Coding for instrument ensembles and orchestras
| Symphony orchestra | |
|---|
| 2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings |
| Wind band | |
|---|
| 2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists |
| Big band | |
|---|
| 221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums |
| Additional codes | |
|---|
| + | fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo |
| / | pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ |
| lib | ad libitum |
| obl | obligato |
| str | str: 65432 = specified number of string players |
| str min | str min: 65432 = at least 65432 |
| str max | str max: 65432 = not more than 65432 |
| solo | vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin |
Category Works for Orchestra or Large Ensemble
Premiere
BBC Symphony Orchestra, cond. Leonard Slatkin, PROMS Last Night Concert, London, September 14, 2002.
Movements 1. Tema and Tema elaborata (Colin Matthews), 2. Variation 1: Scherzando (Judith Weir), 3. Variation 2: Sognante (Poul Ruders), 4. Variation 3: Fantastico (David Sawer), 5. Variation 4: Giocoso (Michael Torke), 6. Variation 5: Solenne (Anthony Payne), 7. Variation 6: Finale grande (Magnus Lindberg)
Commisioned by / dedications Commissioned by the BBC Music Magazine for its 10th Anniversary.
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