The piece begins decisively propelled by a string theme, which seems at once to bound, to soar and to yearn. This is music dissatisfied with itself, and the composer offers it plentiful contrasting variety, particularly in passages revealing woodwind soloists, it bolts towards its own catastrophe. As the title promises, a harsh chord stops it short. This very straightforward piece, admirably conceived for a single hearing, was conducted by the composer and boldly projected by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Thea Musgrave's music always sounds like her own.
Peripeteia is a solid, attractive, engaging work.
I first heard this work as a student and even then it seemed that one day it would be exciting and challenging to explore this idea in a more extended way, though obviously the content, the musical motives would be very different to those of Schoenberg. The opening bars are sunny and bright, and soon a violin melody emerges, often accompanied by the horns. A softer lyrical section follows with an important solo for a pair of clarinets, later joined by solo cello. A reprise of the opening material leads to another lyrical section, this time for solo oboe. It's as if all that is left of reality is a memory.