Symphony No.11 "Philemon and Baucis" - Gloria Coates

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ilan Volkov. I - The Search: 0:00 II - Miracles: 9:12 III - Death and Transfiguration: 17:05 Coates's Symphony No.11 was composed between 1998-9, being comissioned for the 47 edition of the International Passau Festival. It was premiered in said festival at Zell an Pram (Austria) on July 8 of 1999, performed by the Southeast Bavarian Municipal Theater Orchestra conducted by Roger Boggasch. Ovid’s mythological story of Philemon and Baucis was the inspiration of the piece. It is also known as "The Miraculous Pitcher" in the Nathaniel Hawthorne version. Two Greek gods set out in a town to find kind, honest people… Disguised in rags they are stoned and beaten by the towns people until they come to a poor shack of Philemon and Baucis and are treated warmly by an elderly couple. The gods take off their tattered clothes and reveal their identity. They reward the kind elderly couple not only with wealth, but everlasting life by becoming trees that entertain after their life is over. The music composed for this symphony is not programmatic, but rather, Coates used conceptual ideas suggested by the story itself: searching, compassion, and "the final gesture". In the first movement there are two motives that not only are in two separate tempi, but they also change velocity as in a race. At the end, the two musical lines finally meet. The story also has universal religious aspects. While a guest at Yaddo, a New York artists’ colony, Coates was able to compose most of the symphony. In her room was a small bookcase with a hymnal from 1855. She decided to use whatever hymn appeared on the page when she opened the book. To my surprise, it was an early version of "Amazing Grace". Although the melody is slanted when used, one can still recognize it. Thanks to @fiveagainstfour for making the music available for everybody. Picture: "Philemon and Baucis" (1658) by the Dutch painter Rembrandt. Source: https://tinyurl.com/23bhlavu Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.