Prelude to a Tragedy
Lee Actor
About this work:
Prelude to a Tragedy was commissioned by the Palo Alto Philharmonic, and was written during the summer and fall of 2003. The large woodwind section includes English horn and bass clarinet, which contributes to the dark orchestral colors that are prevalent throughout much of the piece.
Prelude to a Tragedy starts with an insistent, oscillating 16th note figure in the violas, from which most of the musical material in the piece is derived. It has an ominous, foreboding quality that seems ubiquitous, even when it recedes deeply into the background. A lyrical melody, first in the strings and then the woodwinds, tries to change the atmosphere, only to eventually collapse back into the initial fateful theme. This shortly leads to a slower, central section featuring a second lyrical melody first heard in the clarinet, closely related to the first melody, but with a more yearning, searching quality to it. After a brief climax, the tempo accelerates and the initial 16th note motif returns to the fore. This immediately ushers in a section of developmental character, in which the first few notes of the “fate” theme are harmonized and played in greatly augmented note values in the winds and brass, against a rapid, syncopated figure in the strings. This leads to a climax that is abruptly cut off, leaving only the solo harp to continue playing its now-familiar plaintive figure. The orchestra makes several futile attempts to interrupt the harp before relenting, and a slow build-up to the final climax begins, utilizing bits of material from earlier in the piece. The second lyrical melody finally bursts out, but in a more urgent form, with a much more elaborate accompaniment. The tension continues to increase in waves, and when it can go no further, the orchestra joins together in a great cry of sorrow. After a rapid disintegration, brief echoes of earlier themes are heard, time slows to a standstill, and the piece ends on a partially unresolved harmony.
Year composed: 2003
Duration: 00:11:45
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 2 Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 4 Horn in F, 2 Trumpet, 3 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 2 Percussion (General), 1 Strings (General), 1 Harp