Dear friends,
today I delivered my Jubileum Suite to Alison Stephens and Sebastiaan de Grebber, the two illustrious performers who requested it of me. The jubilee for which this work was composed is our convergence in the Netherlands next October, on the occasion of Het Consort's 20th anniversary.
This Suite was written in a flash of excitement, enthusiasm, and exuberance—it took no more than 3-4 days to conceive and write down; the rest was proof-reading and "simmering". It is a cheerful, unaffected piece, incorporating (freely, of course) various 17th/18th-century English and Dutch melodies. I have tried to keep myself as much out of the picture as I could; the best way to enjoy the party is often from the sidelines.
The "topic" of the suite is the sound itself, the sound of two, glorious instruments, in the hands of two brilliant, sensitive, artistic performers. I am sure that my intentions will become evident upon hearing the opening strains; think "one, big, 16-string mandolin". The performers in question will surely breeze through this score upon first sight; I saw no point in attempting to challenge their virtuosity.
I hope that the recipients of this latest work of mine and their eventual audiences will enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it, in a moment of effervescence. It is, I must admit, one of the "bubbliest" things I've ever written... Finally (as is my custom), after the premiere, I will make this score available to all, free for the asking.
Cheers to Ali & Sebastiaan! See you both in October.
Victor
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