Martin Ellerby

Duration: c. 5.30 minutes

 

Audio:

 

 

 

Publisher: STUDIO MUSIC COMPANY

 

Programme Notes:

NEAPOLITAN SERENADE was especially composed for Rachel Smith and the Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards. The first performance took place in Tokyo, Japan in October, as part of the Band's 2005 Japanese Tour, under the direction of Major Graham O. Jones MBE. The first UK performance was given by the same forces at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley, West Sussex in November 2005. The first broadcast performance was again made by the commissioning forces on BBC Radio 2's 'Listen to the Band' series in April 2006. The work is essentially rhapsodic in nature and derives much of its melodic material from the harmonic implications of the 'Neapolitan Sixth' chord - that of the flattened supertonic, mostly found in minor key tonalities. After a compact introduction the solo flute enters with the principle theme of the piece. Following a brief interlude in the band, this is repeated in a developed fashion. The principle of solos and interludes continues up to the point where a brief quasi cadenza is reached. The opening material is returned to, always being transformed in some way, until a very free-style coda is encountered in which the solo flute, gradually and in a series of lyrical melismas, ascends to a final high and sustained 'major-seventh' note. The orchestration is deliberately transparent (with the exception of some of the band interludes) and features a prominent part for solo harp. The composer gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Rachel Smith in editing the solo part for both performance and publication.

 

Instrumentation:

Solo Flute

Piano

 

Performance Notes:

 

Available Recordings: