These pieces were originally piano duets, written with one easy part for my wife to play, and presented to her on various anniversary occasions in the 1960s. This orchestral suite was arranged for the 1965 Cambridge Summer Music School, and first performed there by the school’s orchestra. The translation from piano to orchestral sounds makes many opportunities for variety of colours and for real sostenuto. But while orchestral sound is bound to be very different, I have attempted in the Trio of the Mexicana to capture something of the effect of the piano’s harmonic resonance to provide sustaining echoes of the oboe’s tune.
Canzona 2 was written as incidental music for Ngaio Marsh’s production of Shakespeare’s Othello. This is often performed together with Canzonas 1, 2 and 3.
Canzona 3 was originally written as incidental music for Rilke’s The Lay of Love and Death of Cornet Rilke. It is often performed together with Canzonas 1, 2 and 4.