Denis Betro
Composer
Audio
Symphony No 1
Recorded by Orchestra Of The Twentieth Century
Symphony No 1 is Betro’s ”Classical Symphony.” The structure of the whole work emulates the principles of Haydn and Mozart. However the big tunes and spacious orchestration are reminiscent of Western movies of the Hollywood golden age. A potent combination.
Le Tombeau de Ravel (for Solo Guitar)
First Movement Recorded By David Jaggs - www.davidjaggs.co.uk
In the late seventies, I was busking my way around Northern France, eventually reaching Paris. A top priority was to visit the grave of Maurice Ravel at Lavallois-Perret cemetery. Finding the grave I spent a pleasant half an hour there musing. I was pleasantly surprised when leaving the cemetery to discover, just outside the walls, a small garden devoted to the composer and named Square Maurice Ravel. Sitting in the garden, watching a mother and two children in the play area, I began to pick out a melodic sequence on the guitar infused with the spirit of Ravel, especially his Le Tombeau de Couperin. Ideas flowed freely, and very quickly I had improvised a short piece which I eventually and aptly gave the title Le Tombeau de Ravel. I added two more short complementary pieces to the first to make a suite. Two of the three movements were published in Guitar International Magazine on November 1988, which, recognising its French ambience, retitled it Gallic Serenade. The piece has received some minor revisions and it now appears under its original name.
Kitchen Koncerto (for Percussion Ensemble)
Recording by Brake Drum Assembly
Commissioned in 2005, Kitchen Koncerto is in three distinct sections, played continuously. The first section is a Canon, first expressed as a rhythmic pattern, as is the melodic idea which follows. The section ends with a roll on the Gong, which increases in volume, then dies away. The middle section is a reflective and atmospheric soundscape which intrigued the audience at the first performance, judging by the emails I subsequently received. The final section is a polyrhythmic structure in quicker tempo which produced an atmosphere of fun from the original performers.
Duelling Pianos
Duelling Pianos was written in 2005 for the Brazilian piano duo, Marcelo Bratke and Marcela Ruggeri, and has been revised since. It is challenging to perform but exciting to hear live. Using a vivid rhythmic idiom and a tonal approach ensures that the music is accessible and enjoyable for a contemporary audience.
“The final piece in the recital, Duelling Pianos, was electrifying. The exuberance and virtuosity of the first movement delighted and astonished the audience. The collective gasp of approval at the opening bars was audible. The lyrical and beautiful second movement, interspersed with subtle hints of birdcalls, created a haunting spell of enchantment and winsome melancholy. One did not want it to end. The finale was a stock car race of speed and near misses that had the audience erupting into wild cheering at the finish line. When the two pianists took their bows , a frothing victory bottle of champagne would not have been inappropriate.” Rae Welensky
We Wait (from "Daughters of Abraham" musical)
Recorded at Smokehouse Studios - www.smokehousestudios.co.uk
Watch showreel at www.daughtersofabraham.co.uk
We Wait is the opening song of the new musical Daughters of Abraham. It is a book musical that is not fashioned around a pop music back catalogue, nor a reworking of a previously successful film or novel. It challenges stereotypical ideas, is wholly original and is based on anecdotes and incidents from the lives of ordinary Palestinians living in the territories occupied by Israel.
Please visit the website www.daughtersofabraham.co.uk
Interview on Radio New Zealand
Pepper! A History, an Entertainment and a Piano Duet