Description: The ‘Dido & Aeneas Orchestral Suite’ is a 21st Century Imagineering of Henry Purcell’s legendary work, told through a special selection of instrumental dances and never seen before new orchestrations of key vocal sections. This fifteen minute programmatic experience for Symphonic String Orchestra and Piano is in five key movements and includes specially composed parts for Double Bass and a fully integrated Piano part as key players within the ensemble. It is a bold, exciting and wildly emotional Imagineering of the Dido & Aeneas tragedy.

Performance/Conductor Notes: This piece is not for the faint-hearted. It is a complete Imagineering of key musical structures, melodies and harmonies, carefully condensed into an emotional fifteen minute orchestral experience. Free from Baroque constraints, it now includes specially composed parts for Double Bass and fully integrated Piano plus a 21st Century realization and extemporization on key musical themes. Movement V, the Lament may also include an optional Viola/Violin III solo.

The five movements are linked through the original story, key, tempo and mood. They could, however, be performed as stand-alone extracts. Dynamics, articulations and tempo markings are carefully notated to ‘speak’ the text of the characters, so conductors should be encouraged to take them to the extremes without any fear of the original Baroque limitations.

This is one of Henry Purcell’s finest works and this bold new Imagineering should be confidently and stylistically performed by any true 21st Century visionary ensemble.

Suitable for Concerts, Festivals and Orchestral Clinics and may also be performed by a smaller String Chamber Group.