Composer

:

Bernard Stevens

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Fantasy

Average_duration

:

12:55

Fantasia on Giles Farnaby's Dreame, Op. 22 is a composition by British composer Bernard Stevens. It was composed in 1952 and premiered on 17th June 1953 at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The piece is a single movement work that lasts approximately 10 minutes. The composition is based on the melody of Giles Farnaby's Dreame, a popular Elizabethan keyboard piece. Stevens takes this melody and creates a fantasia, a form of composition that allows for free-flowing improvisation and exploration of musical ideas. The piece is scored for a large orchestra, including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. The piece begins with a slow and mysterious introduction, featuring the solo oboe playing the melody of Giles Farnaby's Dreame. The orchestra gradually builds in intensity, with the brass and percussion adding weight and power to the music. The middle section of the piece is more lively and rhythmic, with the orchestra playing with a sense of energy and excitement. The music is full of unexpected twists and turns, with sudden changes in tempo and dynamics. The final section of the piece returns to the slow and mysterious mood of the opening, with the solo oboe once again playing the melody of Giles Farnaby's Dreame. The orchestra gradually fades away, leaving the oboe to play the final notes of the piece. Overall, Fantasia on Giles Farnaby's Dreame, Op. 22 is a complex and challenging work that showcases Stevens' skill as a composer. The piece is full of contrasts, with moments of quiet introspection followed by bursts of energy and excitement. The use of Giles Farnaby's Dreame as the basis for the composition gives the piece a sense of historical depth and connection to the past, while Stevens' modern approach to orchestration and form keeps the music fresh and engaging.

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