John Jeffreys
EXETER FANTASIA for strings
Goodmusic Concert Originals GMCO106
Catalogue Number: GMCO106
Difficulty level: E What's this?
ISMN: 9790222343191
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Orchestration:
Orchestra 1 (Octet:): 2 x Violin 1, 2 x Violin 2, 2 x Violas, 2 x Cellos
Orchestra 2 (Main Orchestra): Violin 1 (4 desks), Violin 2 (4 desks), Viola (3 desks), Cello (3 desks), Double-basses (1½ desks)
The above is the minimum requirement.
The main orchestra (Orchestra 2) should be separated from the small octet (Orchestra 1). This is scored for double string quartet, or octet, to obtain a seemly balance and resonance. Such doubling promotes confidence and improves intonation by the removal of the nervous onus thrust upon those having no such support, and therefore a string quartet remains unsuitable.
Dynamics, especially those at their lowest, and tempi indications may be adjusted according to the prevailing acoustics in the building involved, but the work was written with a resonant surrounding well in mind: indeed the main subject or theme came out of the silence of Exeter Cathedral in 1943, and its treatment here is based on the Elizabethan fantasia form.
Double-basses are regarded as a sheet-anchor giving depth, strength and profound reassurance to both orchestras’ intonation. One or two players here should prepare to tune down the E string a tone to accommodate the low D as written in bar 272 [if necessary]. The bowing indicated should be regarded as an outline guide. John Jeffreys, October 1980
The manuscript of the Exeter Fantasia was discovered amongst John Jeffreys’ documents sometime after his death in 2010. The above note and orchestration (including the "minimum requirement") are as shown in the manuscript. John studied for a time in Exeter, but there is no information as to whether there was a particular reason for the compositiion of the Fantasia or if it was ever performed when John was alive.
Duration 24 minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus the octet parts and orchestral strings 4/4/3/4/2.
Orchestra 1 (Octet:): 2 x Violin 1, 2 x Violin 2, 2 x Violas, 2 x Cellos
Orchestra 2 (Main Orchestra): Violin 1 (4 desks), Violin 2 (4 desks), Viola (3 desks), Cello (3 desks), Double-basses (1½ desks)
The above is the minimum requirement.
The main orchestra (Orchestra 2) should be separated from the small octet (Orchestra 1). This is scored for double string quartet, or octet, to obtain a seemly balance and resonance. Such doubling promotes confidence and improves intonation by the removal of the nervous onus thrust upon those having no such support, and therefore a string quartet remains unsuitable.
Dynamics, especially those at their lowest, and tempi indications may be adjusted according to the prevailing acoustics in the building involved, but the work was written with a resonant surrounding well in mind: indeed the main subject or theme came out of the silence of Exeter Cathedral in 1943, and its treatment here is based on the Elizabethan fantasia form.
Double-basses are regarded as a sheet-anchor giving depth, strength and profound reassurance to both orchestras’ intonation. One or two players here should prepare to tune down the E string a tone to accommodate the low D as written in bar 272 [if necessary]. The bowing indicated should be regarded as an outline guide. John Jeffreys, October 1980
The manuscript of the Exeter Fantasia was discovered amongst John Jeffreys’ documents sometime after his death in 2010. The above note and orchestration (including the "minimum requirement") are as shown in the manuscript. John studied for a time in Exeter, but there is no information as to whether there was a particular reason for the compositiion of the Fantasia or if it was ever performed when John was alive.
Duration 24 minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus the octet parts and orchestral strings 4/4/3/4/2.
