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Tamesis |
Tamesis was commissioned by Michael Dobson with funds made available by the Arts Council of Great Britain. The work commemorates the twenty-first anniversary of the Thames Chamber Orchestra. The title celebrates the orchestra's name and identifies the nature of the piece, which avoids “quotation” characterisation in favour of an atmospheric representation of the varying moods and colours of the river.
The opening displays the colours created by the turning tide when stillness and movement seem to coalesce and the waves reflect many shades of light. Then the strings introduce a section motivated by the slow swell of an ebbing tide leading to the sea. An energetic polyphonic section follows, building up to a cascading climax. The central slow section uses the alto flute to represent the grace of the swan (sadly, a threatened species on the Thames). The cor anglais enters under shimmering string and harpsichord leading to the final section, which emulates the glistening quality of rain on the flowing tide. The coda is a reflection of the opening imagery.
Tamesis is a way of saying congratulations to Michael Dobson and the Thames Chamber Orchestra on twenty-one years of creative music making and on their important contribution to the musical life of England.
E.R.