Integral/parent work: Ensuite

Commission: Continuum Contemporary Music Ensemble, with support from the CCA

Premiere: February 22, 2011, Montréal / Nouvelles Musiques 2011: Suite de danses, Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, Montréal (Québec)

I have always loved the Baroque dance suite form, and my love of slow music drew me in particular to the sarabandes. In university, I played harpsichord, and worked on many such suites by Louis and Francois Couperin, Lully and Rameau among others. I also took a course in Baroque dance, which gave me an understanding of the rhythmic life of the suites. While there is no specific reference to Baroque style in my piece, I explored the feeling of a sarabande, its particular lilt in 3/4 time (with departures into 3/8 and 4/4); in the end, the work became its own kind of slow dance.

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