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NOCTURNO - ROMANZA
'Rosa Maria' - for String Orchestra

NOCTURNO-ROMANZA, also known by its sub-title of 'Rosa Maria', is an unashamedly highly romantic piece for string orchestra that clearly follows the traditional manner of string writing of the mature romantic composers, above all fondly remembering Tchaikovsky and Dvorak. It is set in a large-scale ternary form, with each section also containing additional episodes. The principal opening melody, which reoccurs a number of times, is one of those long lyrical outpourings that is ideally suited to the first violin section; the gradually soaring line should give ample opportunity to develop a weighty bow contact and expressive vibrato. A secondary theme is rather more playful and light. The middle section accelerates somewhat, and features small solos from some of the principal players. The intensity is almost equally conveyed in the major and minor keys. After a high climax, the first main section returns, as if a gentle reminiscence, but soon grows again with the incorporation of a number of variants with respect to the opening of the piece. The short coda again makes the briefest reference to the middle section; however it does not seem to be able to 'conjure' up any intensity this time, and so, with absolute tranquillity the music the music comes to a close.

The piece is, again unashamedly (!), dedicated to the Spanish wife of the composer - Rosa María Yáñez. The duration of the work, depending on how leisurely and expressively played, lasts between eight and nine minutes. It was first programmed by the orchestra 'Sinfonietta Academica' in Tolosa (in the Basque Country, Spain), conducted by Caroline Collier at the end of the 1990's. This same orchestra also gave further public performances of the piece.