Harlequin Suite

In its original form the Suite was written in answer to a commission from the Farnham Festival and was first performed on 11 May 1971. I was, however, not entirely satisfied with it and did not pass it for publication until 1982, when I revised it in considerable detail. In its revised form it was first performed on 18 June, 1983, at Monash University, Melbourne.

The music requires little explanation. The titles of each of the five movements indicate their character: 'Fanfare'; 'Dance', which has Elizabethan overtones; 'Popular Song', which explores jazz rhythms and harmonies; 'Ceremony' - a solemn chorale; and 'Finale', a light-hearted Rondo with fugal touches. The overallintention is simply to entertain both the players and their audiences.