COMPOSER
Dances and Poem
for orchestra
Dances and Poem is a happy piece of about 12-13 minutes, consisting of three sections:
I. Dance (about 3’30’’)
II. Poem (about 6’)
III. Finale (about 3’)
Listen to Dances and Poem here:
The first section is a celebratory play on the quintessential Persian “6/8” dance. It starts with a six note Ostinato which is derived from the tail end of the Dance Theme. After several statements of the Dance Theme in a call and response manner, and through a series of modulations and transformations, the Dance Theme develops into a climax, which lasts through the end of the Dance.
This climax is then immediately resolved into the Ostinato which connects to the opening of the Poem. The Ostinato is now transformed (played by harp and strings) to accompany the Poem Theme in bass clarinet. In this first statement, the theme manifests itself in its most delicate form. For the next 5 minutes the Poem Theme takes a journey from this soft vulnerable position to its last statement in a climax which ends the Poem.
The last section (Finale) starts with the Poem Theme played in solo clarinet, while the cellos and double basses play the Dance Theme simultaneously. The Dance Theme is then transformed (for example in oboe), fragmented, and built up using the Ostinato to one last statement before the ending.