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- Paul Dean
Septet (2022)
(for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass)- Wise Music G. Schirmer Australia Pty Ltd (World)
Commissioned by Andrew Johnston to mark the 90th Birthday of his mother, Stephanie Johnston. For the Melbourne Ensemble
- 0.0.1.1/hn/str(1.0.1.1.1)
- 30 min
Programme Note
I wrote the Septet for the Melbourne Ensemble as a commission from Andrew Johnston to commemorate the 90th Birthday of his mother, Stephanie Johnston. I am indebted to Andrew for his continued support.
Writing for Beethoven's ensemble was always going to be fraught. I have adored playing the Beethoven since I was a teenager and trying to work out a sound world of my own took some serious consideration. However, a number of things about the Beethoven did strike me. The sense of joy and fun in the Beethoven is palpable and it was something that I have not only always enjoyed when playing it, but it was something I tried to hold onto whilst writing this piece. I had particular fun writing the last two movements, especially confronting Beethoven's ghost head on at the opening of the last movement.
On another note altogether, was the sudden passing of my cousin Anne whilst writing the slow movement. It was impossible to write a note of music at this time without thinking of her and the tragedy that her family was facing. The movement is a series of emotional outpourings that one might go through whilst going through the grieving process.
Media
Reviews
Following Beethoven was Dean’s own Septet, completed at the end of 2021. The work was commissioned for the Melbourne Ensemble by Andrew Johnston for his mother’s 9oth birthday, and it’s a work that toys with the inevitable spectre of Beethoven’s work looming over the instrumental combination (Dean briefly referred to Brahms’ infamous hesitation over writing a symphony in his opening remarks). The first movement opened with shimmering harmonics from the strings before developing into a surging crescendo across the whole ensemble, and the following Middle of the Night Music, written in memory of Dean’s cousin, gave bassoonist David Mitchell an eerie and moving solo. Following that, the Scherzo and Trio played with waltz forms (with bassist Phoebe Russell giving us some fantastic oomph on the downbeats here), and the concluding Dancing with Ghosts tarantella-ed its way to a virtuosic conclusion. I did find some of Dean’s textures wearying – sudden stutter-ey explosions of movement always followed a quiet dissonant string passage, for instance – but it was a fun piece, for sure, with plenty of star moments for each player.