PAGAN II (1996)
For Orchestra. Dedicated to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. First performed by the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Naohiro Totsuka, Tokyo City Opera Concert Hall Tokyo, November 1997. A BBC Radio 3 broadcast with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies took place February 2000.
Score available for purchase and parts for hire from CE
Instrumentation: 3[3 picc]. 3[1.2.3] 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 3[1.2.Cbn] – 4 3 3 1 – Tmp+4* – Pianoforte (Grand) – Strings 16.14.12.10.8.
*(Percussion: 3 wood blocks (high, medium low), agogo bells (high, medium, low), 2 suspended cymbals (high and low pitch), maracas, 2 sets of tom-toms (high, medium, low), deep bass drum, xylophone.
Duration: 12 minutes.
PAGAN II is undoubtedly a most austere work. It is a personal glimpse into the abyss. The music has a ritualistic feel as if some huge arcane and barbaric ceremony was being witnessed and the participants of the ceremony entranced through hypnotic ‘dance’ and brutalised through rhythmically and harmonically violent music. PAGAN II is not intended to be a desolate pronouncement on our future, rather a glimpse of the unthinkable. Ideally, PAGAN I and II are performed as a complete work. Please see PAGAN for more information.
