Symphonic Poem n.1 "King Alfred"
King Alfred - Symphonic poem for orchestra
| Movements/parts | (piece in one single movement) |
| Duration | 13'30 |
| Instrumentation | Symphonic orchestra (piccolo, flutes I-II, oboes I-II, clarinets I-II, bassoons I-II, french horns I-IV, trumpets I-II, trombone, tuba, timpani, snare drums, percussions, violins I-II, violas, cellos, double basses) |
| License/SACEM code | SACEM ISWC T-702.490.891.8 |
Description
The Symphonic Poem "King Alfred" was composed in Wantage between June 2009 and February 2010 and illustrates different aspects of the character and life of Alfred of Wessex, a 9th Century Saxon sovereign which is known for having resisted viking invasions and thrown the bases for an English nation.
The piece doesn't tell a story: it presents a set of pictures. It is not indeed a sequential account of the events occuring during Alfred's life, but musical impressions of what made Alfred known and remembered for.
The poem starts with a theme associated to Alfred himself, that develops and interacts with folk melodies representing cultural influences in Anglo-Saxon England. These themes are shadowed by echos of war triggered by the looming Dane invasion, and reappear through Alfred's answer to the threat: the creation of the British Navy. Country, culture and king then join again in a celebration of what earned Alfred his title of "Alfred the Great".
Texts, scores and other resources
All texts and scores are available on the scores page
The recording of one of the piece's performances (May 2010) is available here (and also on the Audio page)