Bellwether

for orchestra

Instrumentation:

2+picc.2+cor.2+bcl.3 – 4.3.3.1 – 3perc – hp – str(12.10.8.6.4)

Duration:

5’

‘Bellwether ’ is a term most often used today to describe predictable indicators of social or economic trends, yet has its origin in shepherding, as the name given to the leading sheep of a flock. There is no single leading idea or protagonist here, however. Rather, the music ambles through moments of naiveté and pastoral grandeur, with occasional factions within the orchestra seeking to persuade the sound towards new, ever-shifting vistas.

Recording available on Sounds New, released on NMC Recordings, performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Clark Rundell.

Performances

29 January 2023 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Clark Rundell (cond.), Symphony Hall, Birmingham