John Burge

Commissioner: The Thirteen Strings of Ottawa

Premiere: The Thirteen Strings of Ottawa, Grant Cooper, conductor, St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Ottawa, Ontario, March 23, 2001.

Duration: 25 minutes

Movements:

1. French Overture: Maestoso
2. Minuet (and Trio): Grazioso
3. Aria: Largo
4. Gigue: Poco Allegro

Program Note:  Sinfonia Antiqua was commissioned by The Thirteen Strings of Ottawa in 2000 for their 25th-anniversary Season.  The first movement's French Overture was actually composed in 1999 for a Thirteen Strings concert that included a group of thirteen young string players who sat alongside the professional ensemble.  In the French Overture the music begins with a majestic double-dotted feeling moving to a faster fugal section that is typical of this genre.  However, when the slower opening material returns at the end of the French Overture, it combines quite effortlessly with an exact repetition of the faster fugal material that benefits greatly by the having a larger string orchestra as the music now occupies nine separate instrumental parts.  To the opening French Overture were added a Minuet, Aria and Gigue to create a four-movement work in a very neo-baroque style.  The other three movements also use traditional rhythmic and melodic gestures.  The elegance of the Minuet is contrasted by a more robust Trio section which includes fast passage work for the first violins.  The Aria is built around the viola's slowly descending repeated notes with much of the expressive melodic lines played first by the cellos and later reprised by the first violins at the end of the movement.  Finally, the fast triple meter of the Gigue incorporates a number of imitative passages and energetic string figuration.

The Full score and parts for this movement are available from the Canadian Music Centre for purchase (printable pdf or mail order), library loan and part rental: CMC-Sinfonia Antiqua