A First Book of Inventions

The two principal ideas behind my piece are, firstly, perpetuum mobile, or continuous movement, and secondly, the elaboration of a basic one- or two-part texture. Each of the seven 'inventions' that comprise the unbroken 9-minute span of the work are founded on a regular pulse, a pulse that sometimes forms stable ostinati that run for the entire length of a section, or on other occasions provokes a highly varied and constantly shifting pattern of melodic events. The seven sections can very briefly be described thus: 1) an active, miniature 'theme and variations'; 2) the juxtaposition of various fragmentary two-part inventions; 3) a tremolo string ostinato with woodwind interjections, building towards the first climax; 4) an ostinato passing between horns and muted trumpets together with a dialogue for high woodwind and low strings; 5) a very slow canon for string harmonics and pizzicato double basses; 6) a fast, one-part invention beginning with solo piccolo, and gradually leading to the second climax; 7) chorale. The work is scored for a modestly-sized orchestra of double woodwind, two horns, two trumpets and strings, and was written for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. (Ryan Wigglesworth)