Illyrian Dances by Guy Woolfenden
I. Rondeau
II. Aubade
III. Gigue
This suite of three dances was premiered in 1976. A scene frome Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night inspired the title. According to the composer, “The precise geographical location of Illyria was not important to Shakespeare. What excited him was the resonance of the word itself and the romance of all far-away, make-believe places. Illyria is Never Never Land and the idea of inventing dances for such a place intrigued me.”
The three dances include (1) Rondeau--a seven-bar refrain with a memorable rhythmic twist, alternating with variants which highlight most sections of the band; (2) Aubade--a gentle dance in ternary form featuring the flutes, with a hint of the dawn chorus at the close; and (3) Gigue--a rondo in six-eight time, with the recurring theme also used in counterpoint to the many subsidiary themes.
