This symphony was completed in 2014. The first and second movements were
composed in 1998 and 2000, respectively, along with the exposition of the
fourth; the fourth movement was completed and the third movement composed in
2014.
The entire work is based upon a "synthetic scale", a collection of eight pitch
classes: A B C C# D# E F# G . This collection is asymmetrical and therefore
contains different melodic and harmonic resources if any of the eight pitch
classes is tonicized; in other words, it sounds different from each of the
eight possible perspectives or (to stretch the word almost to the point of
misuse) "keys".
The first movement (Gavotte: Non troppo presto, A major, 2/2) presents two
contrasting themes, each underpinned by a characteristic ostinato pattern.
The themes undergo gradual motivic transformation while being worked out in
sonata form. A was chosen as the overall tonic of the work, as it is the
vantage point from which the tonal material can be navigated most easily and
widely.
The second movement (Estampie: Allegro pesante, C major, 3/4) is a scherzo in
a free rondo form, with various episodes between occurrences of the opening
ritornello. The key of C offers somewhat less variety of tonal material,
which is perhaps reflected in the stomping repetitions of the opening.
The third movement (Sarabande: Larghetto, E minor, 3/4) finds itself in a still
narrower place, its themes turning back upon themselves, unable to make any
decisive breakthrough into contrasting tonal territory. By the end, paralysis
is nearly complete, all of the motives flattened out into a slow half-step
oscillation. Something has to happen....
The final movement (Gigue: Presto, A major, 3/8) returns to the key and the
motivic material of the first movement, transformed into a hectic scramble.
The exposition ends in E minor, the same key where the slow movement got
trapped, but then shows that the way out is (or would have been) through A
minor; "minorish" and "majorish" A compete to the end, with major eventually
coming out on top.
Copyright © 2015 -- 2022 Frank Wilhoit