FULL ORCHESTRA VERSION

I. Sereno

II. Animato

I conceived Chorale and Ecstatic Dance (formerly titled Enyato III) as an overture in two movements, each of which may also be performed on its own. My intention was to compose light hearted, celebratory music presenting an immediately attractive surface to the listener. I’ve made three versions of the work: for full orchestra, string orchestra and string quartet.

The serene Chorale is cast in mediaeval European modality tempered by East Asian inflections. The Ecstatic Dance, radiant and insistently melodic, began life as a miniature flute duet which I later extended. Today it exists in various arrangements: as the concluding movement of Ecstatic Dances for two flutes, or flute and clarinet; or as a separate piece for two violins, violin and viola, or violin and cello.

Chorale and Ecstatic Dance for orchestra, composed for the Sydney Symphony’s 1995 European tour, was commissioned by Eva Griffith in memory of Heinz Harant.

Ross Edwards