Symphony (1993-97) (opus 45) 

The four movements of the symphony are marked

Moderato  Allegro molto vivace                         10’

Vivace                                                                 6’

Largo                                                                   9’          

Un poco Andante  Allegro                                   8’ 

The mood of the symphony is generally buoyant and celebratory, reflecting the positivity of the time when it was written. It also speaks of the vibrancy of the African continent, and marked the composer’s return to tonal composition.

The introduction to Movement 1 commences with a three bar motif on horns, echoed by a motif on violas and cellos. This is the source from which most of the movement’s thematic material is derived. The allegro molto vivace which follows consists of two themes (bars 22 and 35). The rhythmical opening of the first of these ideas proves of considerable importance throughout the movement. A more serious theme, introduced on strings and oboe (at bar 76), provides introspective lyrical contrast. The development section (starting at bar 121) is built mainly on the recurring opening motif and rhythmic element of the movement’s first theme. The compressed recapitulation (from bar 235) finds the materials of the exposition reordered, varied and contrasted contrapuntally. The movement ends with a coda (starting at bar 297) which, like so much of the music, is derived from the recurring motif and first theme. The movement’s closing bars having a decidedly tragic feel.

Movement 2 is a scherzo in ternary form. The main thematic material is derived from the short opening motif on violins and violas, which is expanded by trumpets before developing into a broad theme for full orchestra. This leads quite naturally to the maestoso second subject on oboe and strings (bar 73), originally conceived as a tribute to Nelson Mandela. The brief ethereal trio (bar 138) is scored for high woodwind and violins. The scherzo’s main subject material is recalled (from bar 172) and later serves as accompaniment to the maestoso theme (from bar 209). The maestoso theme, its character irretrievably changed, brings the movement to an anguished close.

Movement 3 was written in memory of the composer's mother, who died while he was composing the latter part of the Scherzo. So the movement could aptly be described as a 'Death and Transfiguration' movement. Its opening bars depict the moment of death, the tuba descending into cavernous darkness. A number of fragmentary figures gradually build into a theme that leads to a dramatic climax (from bar 44), which slowly etherealizes into a series of poignant ‘transfigurations’ (from bar 71). The movement ends in funereal despair. 

The dark shadows continue briefly in the introduction to Movement 4. The finale proper, in sonata-rondo form, commences with a unison motto that is heard several times in the course of the movement. A sequence of short thematic ideas follows: the first, marked maestoso for strings (bar 24), the second, of considerable thematic significance, is introduced on cellos (at bar 33), and the third, which introduces an eschatological element to the work, is scored for trumpets, horns and bass strings (bar 49). As the movement progresses the brass section becomes ever more insistent, leading to a celebratory fanfare for the whole orchestra. The movement’s dark opening is briefly recalled before the timpani bring the work to a shattering conclusion.

The scoring is for a standard-sized orchestra with the addition of bass clarinet and double bassoon. Celesta appears in the two middle movements, harp in the third.