Serenade for Sophia
General Info
Year: 2001
Duration: c. 10:45
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Ariel Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - £40.00 | Score Only (print) - £20.00
Movements
1. Intrada – 2:00
2. Dance – 3:10
3. Finale – 5:30
Instrumentation
- Full Score
- Flute I-II
- Oboe I-II
- Bassoon I-II
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
- Horn in F I-II
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Serenade for Sophia was written to celebrate the birth of my first grandchild, Sophia Isobel, and is dedicated to her with love. The work is scored for double wind quintet with no doublings, and begins with a short formal Intrada, an A-B-A structure with the flutes having a decorative function in the A section, a melodic one in the middle section, and a more florid role in the reprise.
The main theme of the Dance is initially stated by the first bassoon, before being taken up by the upper woodwind in 5 6 melodic and friendly music that hints at warmer climates, and taps into the rich culture of Sophia’s Jamaican relations. The Finale is the longest movement, and plays on the juxtaposition of two contrasted moods: firstly a reflective, somewhat troubled idea; the mood then shifts, a new key centre is established and the sun comes out in a happy Allegretto passage. The process is redeveloped, the reflective mood becomes more espressivo and is treated canonically, the sun once again breaks through the clouds, and shines even more brightly in a joyous coda.
- Program Note from liner notes of Mark CD Timothy Reynish; International Repertoire Recordings Volume 12
The BASBWE Education Trust on behalf of the College Commission Consortium 2001, comprising of the Birmingham Conservatoire, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the London College of Music & Media, the Royal College of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Welsh College of Music & Drama.
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra (Timothy Reynish, conductor)
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- NMPAT County Wind Ensemble (Iona Walker, conductor) – 10 December 2019
- Birmingham Conservatoire Wind Ensemble (Guy Woolfenden, conductor) – 26 November 2001 *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Birthday Treat
- Bohemian Dances
- Celebration
- Claremont Canzona
- Curtain Call
- Deo Gracias (1986)
- Divertimento for Band
- Firedance (2000/2002)
- French Impressions (1998)
- Gallimaufry
- Illyrian Dances (1986)
- Irish Reel (as arranger) (1936/2000)
- Mockbeggar Variations
- Serenade for Sophia (2001)
- SPQR (1988)
- Suite Française (1991)
Resources
- Woolfenden, G. (2001). Serenade for Sophia: For Wind Dectet [score]. Ariel Music: Banbury, UK.