Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra
Elizabeth Vercoe
About this work:
"dark, angular...the rhapsodic quality the title promises..." (The Berkshire Eagle)
Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra (1977) is a single, tense and restless movement. It was first performed at Williams College by the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra under Ron Feldman's direction with Tim Baker, violinist.
It is written in three main sections separated by transitions and a cadenza, and begins with an introduction. Of the three main sections that follow, the first is the richest in terms of material, containing the rest of the movement in embryo. The Rhapsody cadenza attempts to follow an early tradition of cadenza writing, exploring the expressive range of the violin rather than its technical potential. The conclusion is short and intense, based primarily on the double-dotted motive from the beginning which appears even at the moment of cadence in greatly augmented form.
Year composed: 1977
Duration: 00:13:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Orchestra with Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 2 Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 4 Horn in F, 2 Trumpet, 3 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 2 Percussion (General), 1 Strings (General), ,1 Violin soloist(s), 1 Harp
Instrumentation notes: A single movement with cadenza.