The Light Fantastic

While there isn’t a specific program attached to the music, I feel that the phrase “tripping the light fantastic” accurately describes the general spirit of the piece. The Light Fantastic is a virtuosic whirlwind for the orchestra, exploring the ensemble’s capacity for contrasts ranging from the visceral and bombastic to the intimate and ethereal. At the heart of this short “concertino for orchestra” are two major motivic ideas: a short melody that is introduced by the piccolo at the very beginning and a repeated-note fanfare at the first major climax of the piece. These two motives are developed, tossed around the ensemble, hidden, found again, chopped up, hastily glued back together, pitted against each other, and finally brought together to drive the piece to its inevitable, thunderous conclusion.