Movement III
That last one was lengthy!
To complement that here is the third movement with minimal commentary.
While I don't have too much to say, I should mention that despite the presence of a string accompaniment this is, in fact, a cadenza (one I initially scored it for solo flugelhorn).
The reason for including the strings is twofold. First, it makes life easier for everyone involved. While I never do anything just to make players' lives easier, I do believe that composers must consider the experience of those playing at all times. Here, the inclusion of the strings takes the pressure off of Imogen while keeping the rest of the ensemble engaged. Everyone wins.
The second reason for including the strings is musical. Though it is just a drone, its presence allows me to get extra colors into this section while reinforcing the sense of space created by the arrangement of the players. Again, a win-win situation.
One last thing to mention about this movement is the material in the flugelhorn. Here I've given a kind of distorted preview of the melody which serves as the backbone of the fifth movement. It is distorted and slowed, but otherwise untouched - I wanted it to be as recognizable as possible.
