Carnival Samba (2003)
(‘Floreant’)

This short piece for piano trio was commissioned by Beryl Calver-Jones and Gerry Mattock as an opening ‘fanfare’ for the birth of the Tetbury Festival. The idea of celebration, and the fact that the piece is to be performed by the Florestan Trio, led me to refer to Schumann’s Carnaval, from which the Florestan Trio take their name.

I have taken Schumann’s 4-note ‘ASCH’ motif as it appears in the ‘Florestan’ movement, and used it to create my own carnival of dancing letters – a carnival in a more modern, street-celebration sense.

Its subtitle ’Floreant’ means ‘Let them flourish’, and this refers to the Festival, the Trio, and of course to Beryl and Gerry, whose support of my work has been a huge influence and inspiration.