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Nigel Keay - Symphonic Poem: Ritual Dance of the Unappeasable Shadow (1993)

Duration: 22 minutes Audio; Overture mp3 recording of short version (Overture, 6 minutes) recorded by Concert FM, a network of Radio New Zealand Radio New Zealand logo

Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B-Flat, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in C, 2 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Timpani, Percussion (Bass Drum, Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Tam tam), Piano, Strings.

Full Score, 78 pages, 1.69Mb. Full Score, sample in Sibelius software, PDF, 8 pages   Violin 1 Part, PDF, 9 pages (345Kb), Violin 2 Part, PDF, 240Kb, Viola Part, PDF, 295Kb,

Abridged version: Overture: Ritual Dance (Duration: 6 minutes)

Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B-Flat, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in C, 2 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Timpani, Percussion (Cymbals), Strings. Full Score, (30 pages, 508KKb) Violin 1 Part   Violin 2 Part   Viola Part   Cello Part   Double Bass Part   Trumpet 1 Part   Trumpet 2 Part   Trombone 1 Part   Trombone 2 Part   Bass Trombone Part   Tuba Part

 
 
 
     
 

Symphonic Poem: Ritual Dance of the Unappeasable Shadow was commissioned by the Dunedin Sinfonia (now called the Southern Sinfonia) in 1993. It is a single movement work based on material from the opera At the Hawk's Well. In some cases there has been extensive reworking, affecting also its construction which follows an arch form with a lively opening and closing.

Symphonic Poem was given a workshop reading by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir William Southgate in 1994. This event was recorded by Radio New Zealand's Concert FM. It was also performed by the New Zealand Secondary School's Symphony Orchestra in 1995 as part of its Auckland Course.

Peter Adams wrote of the work in a review for the Otago Daily Times (August 1, 1994): "Nigel Keay's Ritual Dance of the Unappeasable Shadow made a powerful impact on first hearing; the dark core of the work had a brooding intensity while the flanking outer sections were vital and colourful with their Indonesian gamelan-inspired sound world"