Roderick Elms

Moody Moves

Moody Moves started life in 2005 with the movement Funky Fugato, a short encore for members of the Aurora Ensemble â€" in that particular recital just oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano. The piece was revisited early in 2011 with the intention of expanding it for the whole ensemble. The result was a twenty-four minute concert piece of six movements for piano and wind quintet. Moody Moves was given its first performance in March 2012 at Ongar Music Club by the Aurora Ensemble (to whom it is dedicated) with the pianist Joanna Smith. There are six movements: Amorous Antiphon, a fantasia-like movement leading directly to Precocious Prelude â€" a lively syncopated allegro based on a minimalist figure heard at the outset. The composer had originally been thinking of this movement as the basis of a second concert piece for piano-duet and orchestra but the opening wind figure seemed to lend itself to a more wind-based piece. Retro Romance begins with a sweeping horn solo which is developed by all the instruments in turn before a central section featuring the cor anglais. Funky Fugato, written in a plethora of time signatures and syncopated rhythms, is in a quasi-contrapuntal style in which the instruments imitate each other at various intervals. Cool Cadenza allows the instruments a degree of individual expression within a somewhat smoky atmosphere. The final movement, Saucy Saltarello, is a lighthearted romp based on a lively Italian dance dating from the 13th Century. A recording of Moody Moves is available on the Herald label (HAVPCD380) together with other chamber works by Roderick Elms including Twelve Astrological Preludes for piano (played by the composer); Cygncopations for saxophone and piano (Kyle Horch saxophone and Joanna Smith piano); Two Anglo Fandangos for guitar and organ (Victoria Green guitar and Stuart Nicholson organ) and Two Festive Carillons for organ played by Stuart Nicholson on the organ of Brentwood Cathedral.