Eric Ewazen

Colchester Fantasy

Colchester is among the oldest cities in Britain, with an old Roman wall, a massive Norman castle, picturesque homes and churches, and, as in all decent English towns, colorful old pubs. Each movement is named after one of the old Colchester pubs: 1. 'The Rose and Crown' (filled with bright, sonorous chords, energetic rhythmic patterns, and constantly changing and fluctuating motives), 2. 'The Marquis of Granby' (a name associated with distant, faded aristocracy, it is a stately, chorale-like movement with somber, plaintive themes), 3. 'The Dragoon' (brings forth the sounds of battle with dissonant, clashing harmonies, agitated rhythms and fragmented melodies), and 4. 'The Red Lion' (a name intimating royalty and nobility, it is a resonant fugue, propelled forward with motoric motion and a rapid, spinning fugue theme.