Paul Carr

Concerto For Oboe

I have long wanted to write an Oboe Concerto and have made several false starts - I don't know why, but somehow the work never seemed to take flight and those earlier attempts were abandoned. I've written concertos for flute, two for clarinet, bassoon, 4 guitars, piano, and trumpet, but have always loved the oboe and find it puzzling that I should have taken so long to write a work for it - perhaps the oboe calls for a certain maturity, at least in me.
The Concerto is in three movements: Allegro energico is a lively conversation where the oboe takes the lead, pitted against the strings, in a blended mix of boisterous eruptions and loftier linear lines. The unusual quietness of snow is a slow and poignant expression of sadness and loss. At a difficult time in my life, a few days before my Mother's death, it seemed strange that a heavy, early morning snow fall in the first days of March could have provided a sense of calmness and unity at a time of extreme emotion. The final movement, September music is a spirited evocation of Summer's end. Whilst the general feeling is still of warmth and lightness, there is a certain nostalgia in the central passages, hinting that Summer is on the way out and the season about to change. Paul Carr
The Concerto was written for, and is dedicated to Nicholas Daniel, who gave the first performance with the Southern Sinfonia conducted by Ronald Corp, in Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester-on-Thames on 27th May 2008 as part of the English Music Festival. The concerto has also been recorded by Nicholas Daniel and the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, conducted by Gavin Sutherland and is released on the Dutton Epoch label.
Duration 18 minutes
The version for oboe and strings is available - see catalogue number GMCO083