Helios — Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra
(1994)
Duration: 17'
Oboe; 22(ca)2(bcl)2/2100/str(6.6.4.3.2) [=str(2.2.2.2.1)]
Commissioned by the St Magnus Festival, Orkney, with funds from the Scottish Arts Council

World Premiere: 17 June 1995, Kirkwall, Scotland
Nicholas Daniel, oboe
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas Kraemer, conductor

Publisher:  Novello & Co Ltd

Critical Acclaim:

Helios, the sun god, daily races his chariot across the heavens in a spectacular ride across the sky. The oboe soloist is Helios — and his troops — wind and brass soloists — are stationed around the perimeter of the orchestra, marshalled and activated by the soloist: at one point they're all on their feet, picking up their cues from the soloist, and giving — for all the life — as near an impression that you will get to a classical music jam session...it's as invigorating and exhilarating a piece as Musgrave has ever written.
— Michael Tumelty, The Herald [Glasgow]

Composer's Note:

Helios, as described in the ancient Greek myth, is the God of the sun. Each day he drives his chariot across the heavens to the far West where his horses pasture in the islands of the Blessed. He sails home along the ocean stream which circles the globe.

Helios has some close parallels with the Greek myth. The seating of the orchestra is such that visually the solo oboe stands at the helm of his "chariot" while the horses are represented by a group of "concertante" players. When these players stand at the climax of the work, the shape of the chariot is even more evident.

In response to the challenge of integrating musical and dramatic ideas, it will be seen that in Helios there is a true interplay of soloists and tutti. Though the solo oboe is at all times the leader and the energizer, he shares some of the musical virtousity with the concertante players.

The music starts in darkness and the soloist gradually rouses the concertante players to a musical climax with a theme in thirds played by a pair of horns.

A scherzo follows where the soloist, playing a quasi improvisando against rustling strings, incites the other wind players to join him. The strings begin to overwhelm the musical texture, and in response the oboe "summons" his concertante players and together they ride out the storm.

The storm subsides and a cadenza for oboe follows. A quiet coda includes a section where the woodwind imitate the rippling of the "ocean stream" as Helios completes his journey round the world. The concerto ends very quietly with the oboe playing in its highest register.

Recording:

Helios - Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas Kraemer, conductor
Nicholas Daniel, oboe
Collins Classics 1529-2
NMC Ancora series NMC DO74

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