Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Richard Danielpour
Urban Dances, Book II (1993)
- Associated Music Publishers Inc (World)
Programme Note
Urban Dances, Book Two uses the vibrant rhythms and cool lyricism of popular dance idioms to depict life in a modern big city, where the balance of crisis and celebration of life is the basis of everyday existence. The first movement consists of a Fanfare and a nearly brutal, “crisis impending” Rumba. Uptown Tango is a sleek, sophisticated, sensual dance that becomes restless and intense in the middle section. The Night Rainbow takes its title from a line in a children’s book by Cooper Edens: “If you’re afraid of the dark, remember the night rainbow.” These words mirror a philosophical thread that runs through all of Danielpour’s music; instead of living in fear of death, look to the richness of life. The movement begins with a tuba solo set against jarring chords before moving to a central section built from harmonies of piled-up thirds. The close of the movement resolves the materials of the opening in an attempt to offer consolation and comfort against the dark experience of death. The Tarantella balances music that is fast and bursting with energy, a kind of “wild rise,” with a contrasting lyrical theme.