Augusta Read Thomas: Terpsichore's Box of Dreams for 13 Virtuosi - Study Score [Printed Music]

“The concert closed with an utterly delightful new work by Augusta Read Thomas, the guiding light at the CCCC. “Terpsichore’s Box of Dreams” honors the goddess of dance and delight with a series of seven short dances plus an introduction (“Terpsichore Enters”) and conclusion (“Terpsichore Departs”). In her pre-performance remarks, she described the work as containing a “kaleidoscope of color” and offered her own little bebop phrase to explain some of the energetic movement of the work. The music grabbed you from the start, with a jazzy bongo beat and singing sound from the ensemble’s top voices. The dances had names like “Scatter” where the music really did seem to scurry in all directions yet still had clear cohesion. “Dream” had a gauzy effect and some of the most gorgeous music of the entire suite, notably from the oboe. (I asked oboist Andrew Nogal about performing this piece and he said that while rehearsing at home even after he had mastered parts of the score he would stop and play parts again simply because they were so beautiful.) Thomas’s music exuded joy and optimism, vivacious movement, and spirited exclamations. This piece will receive its United Kingdom premiere soon, but I don’t think the London Sinfonietta will be able to outdo the magnificent performance of the Grossman Ensemble. When it was over, the audience applauded and whistled. There were hoots and hollers. They loved it. During the reception that followed, I asked Professor Thomas how she felt about the ensemble’s performance of her work. “I feel humbled and grateful making new art together with the Grossman Ensemble, with their precision and eloquence.” - M.L. Rantala, Classical Music Critic, Hyde Park Herald, May 24, 2023

“The concert concluded with a world premiere by a Chicago-based composer, Augusta Read Thomas. Terpsichore’s Box of Dreams is a wonderful suite of 10 movements based on the goddess of dance and delight from Greek mythology, a regular source of inspiration for Thomas’ music.

In keeping with Terpsichore’s character, the piece is very fun and energetic with lots of moving parts. In explaining the piece, Thomas noted how it could be choreographed for dance, and several movements are labeled as dances. Dance-like tempos and rhythms pervade the work.

It also showcases Thomas’ penchant for finding interesting musical motifs and rhythmic phrases that she manipulates in all kinds of ways. Sometimes the melodies are passed between the instruments, at other times the instruments come together to play in unison. Thomas also included lower pitched winds in the score.

While Thomas described it as a suite, it comes across more as a set of variations, with the rhythm shifting with the changes in the dance, from “Dance #1: Scatter” to “Dance #2: Tiptoe Caper” to “Dance #3: Pointillistic Groove Flutter pirouettes”, etc. At the center things slow down for a dream sequence with a marvelous aural tapestry, before a sunrise transition speeds back up to “Dance #6: Gambol.” Terpsichore’s Box of Dreams was a fun way to end an enjoyable evening.” Louis Harris, Third Coast Review May 21, 2023