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Anthony Ritchie  

Piano Concerto No. 3

Duration: 18' 00" Year: 2008
for piano and orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    solo piano and 2222;4231; timp; 2 perc; strings
  • Programme Note

    This concerto is a sunny and life-affirming work. There are moments of reflection however, such as the slow introduction, where a long melody on piano is picked up by the strings in the orchestra. Elements of this melody become the basis for the ’allegro’ that follows which features three main ideas. The second of these, on piano with strings playing pizz. and col legno, is hyperactive and unpredictable. By comparison, the third theme that emerges on piano solo is more lyrical, and neo-classical in style. A busy development section builds to a climax and themes appear in reverse order. The fleet-footed coda features canonic entries and the movement comes to a bubbly conclusion.


    In the slow movement a modal melody is undercut by dissonances on the piano, suggesting painful memories. The melody is passed over to the flutes, and back to the piano in a quasi-improvised passage. A second theme appears on the violins, lyrical and arching. After development of the theme, the piano has a short solo that brings the music back to the opening. Following an unexpected modulation the main theme is varied by the orchestra, leading to a short, quiet coda.


    The finale is a whimsical, neo-classical piece, descriptive of the movements of wind-up toys. Dramatic gestures are really only mock-dramatic, and serious ideas give way to playful fun as ideas are shared quickly between orchestra and piano. The percussion have something to say near the end, suggesting toy soldiers, before the pieces comes to a rapid end.

  • Availability

Edwin Carr  

Seven Medieval Lyrics

Duration: 19' 00" Year: 1973
for SATB chorus and orchestra

Anthony Ritchie  

Sinfonietta

Duration: 15' 00" Year: 1992
for small orchestra

Christopher Norton  

Sing 'n' Swing

Duration: 15' 00" Year: 1982
five up-beat carols for 2-part choir and piano

Douglas Lilburn  

Suite for Orchestra

Duration: 15' 00" Year: 1955

Philip Norman  

Suite from A Christmas Carol

Duration: 18' 00" Year: 2002
suite for orchestra

Eric Biddington  

Suite No. 2 for String Orchestra

Duration: 18' 30" Year: 2007

Jeremy Mayall  

Symphony No. 1

Duration: 16' 00" Year: 2004
for turntables and orchestra

Maarire Goodall  

Tathāgata

Duration: 15' 00" Year: 2008
for string quartet

  • Instrumentation
    violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello
  • Programme Note

    “Tathāgata” is the term Goutama Buddha often used when referring to himself after his enlightenment. In Pali and Sanskrit, “tatha” is the “truth”, and “āgata” is “to come”, “arrived”. (The noun buddha drives from “budh”, which means “to understand”.) As Buddha often said, he was a man, not a god or saviour and “…Tathagatas are only teachers… [who] point out the path…”. He taught that it is up to us to make the effort ourselves to follow the right path. “Nibbāna” is the cessation of sorrow and suffering (in Sanskrit “Nirvana”).

    The String Quartet is in two contrasting movements. The structure, both overall and within movements, and many musical procedures, build on mathematical ideas. For the composer many layers of intention and personal history combine, but in performance the main impression is of struggle against conflict and discord, eventually overcome in exultant song in the First movement; the Second instead is contemplative, fugal, sometimes complex and intense, but finally resolving tensions and simplifying to end in an ancient cadence.

    Maarire Goodall

  • Availability

Michael Vinten  

Te ia o Nuku

Duration: 16' 00" Year: 1990