Masquerade

Masquerade draws inspiration from the original mid-18th century promenade concerts held in London’s pleasure gardens. As is true today, these concerts were a place where people from all walks of life mingled to enjoy a wide array of music. Other forms of entertainment ranged from the sedate to the salacious with acrobatics, exotic street entertainers, dancers, fireworks and masquerades. I am fascinated by the historic and sociological courtship between music and dance. Combined with costumes, masked guises and elaborate settings, masquerades created an exciting, yet controlled, sense of occasion and celebration. It is this that I wish to evoke in Masquerade.

The work derives its material from two melodies. For the main theme, I imagined a chorus welcoming the audience and inviting them into their imaginary world. The second theme, Juice of Barley, is an old English country dance melody and drinking song, which first appeared in John Playford’s 1695 edition of The English Dancing Master.

It is an honor to compose music for the Last Night of the Proms and I dedicate Masquerade to the Prommers.

— Anna Clyne

Reproduction Rights:
This program note may be reproduced free of charge in concert programs with a credit to the composer.

“a swirling, surreal orchestral evocation of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in their gloriously disreputable heyday, with a beery English drinking song lurching in and out of the mêlée” —The Times

“Masquerade immediately swept the audience away. —Broad Street Review

“Masquerade has the style and sound of old English music hall, a little like the nostalgic sounds on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It is a noisily delightful aperitif.” —The Berkshire Eagle

“There is a lot packed into this intense but enlivening five-minute gem, with its gorgeous orchestral colour and movement” —Limelight Magazine