ORCHESTRAL » Frenergy
| Instrumentation: | 2 2 2 2/ 4 3 3 1 / tmp + 3 perc/ pno/ hp/ strings |
| Duration: | 5’ |
Programme Notes
The bulk of the musical material found in this piece comes from sketches for my Triple Concerto. These sketches were to be part of the proposed final movement for the concerto, a fast-paced scherzo to bring the piece to a wild close. However, for various reasons, this ending did not make it to the final draft. Not one to waste, I decided to mount this music on its own for orchestra.
The title comes from an amalgamation of the words “frenetic” and “energy” which were the two qualities I desired for the ending of the concerto. The tempo for this short concert opener is brisk and the pacing of melodic ideas is often a bit frantic as befitting the title.
It begins with a thunderous introduction by the percussion who establish the infectious 6/8 pulse. After an orchestral tutti, the winds introduce a chromatic melody that is quickly tossed back and forth from pairings of instruments. This quirky little melody often complements an ostentatious tune frequently performed by the brass. The third melody, introduced by a solo flute, is perhaps the most substantial tune of the piece and is strongly characterized by the 6/8 lilt of the piece.
A harmonically restless string passage leads into a return of the opening material and the piece concludes with a full force orchestral tutti along with the pounding drums of the opening.
Audio Samples
Frenergy
Frenergy on YouTube as performed in Providence, Rhode Island by the
All Eastern Division Orchestra.
Premiere
March 20, 1998
EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Conductor: Grzegorz Nowak
Winspear Centre
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Subsequent Performances
| ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA December 3,4,5, 2009 Conductor: Peter Oundjian |
ALLENTOWN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA November 14,15,2009 Conductor: Diane Wittry |
| FORT WAYNE PHILHARMONIC March 15, 2009 Conductor: Bradley Thachuk Fort Wayne, Indiana USA |
ALL EASTERN DIVISION ORCHESTRA March 12, 2009 Conductor: Alexander Jimenez |
FORT WAYNE PHILHARMONIC November 3, 2008 Conductor: Bradley Thachuk Fort Wayne, Indiana USA |
| DETROIT SYMPHONY CIVIC YOUTH ORCHESTRA November 1, 2008 |
NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE ORCHESTRA May 8, 2007 Conductor: Alain Trudel |
PETERBOROUGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA February 10, 2007 Conductor: Michael Newnham |
| FORT WAYNE PHILHARMONIC May 3,4, 2006 Conductor: Bradley Thachuk Fort Wayne, Indiana USA |
WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA February 22, 23, March 3, 22, 30, 2006 Conductor: Michelle Moore Centennial Concert Hall Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada |
EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA September 5, 2005 Conductor: Timothy Vernon Hawrelak Park Edmonton, Alberta Canada |
| EDMONTON YOUTH ORCHESTRA May 15, 2005 Conductor: Michael Massey Winspear Centre Edmonton, Alberta Canada |
SUDBURY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA April 2, 2005 Conductor: Victor Sawa Fraser Auditorium Sudbury, Ontario Canada |
CALGARY PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA January 2004 Conductor: Rosemary Thomson University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta Canada |
| CALGARY PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA April 5, 2003 Conductor: Rosemary Thomson Jack Singer Concert Hall Calgary, Alberta Canada |
FORT WAYNE PHILHARMONIC April 2003 Conductor: Bradley Thachuk Fort Wayne, Indiana USA |
TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA February 26, 27, 2003 Conductor: Keri-Lynn Wilson Roy Thompson Hall Toronto, Ontario Canada |
| ROYAL CONSERVATORY ORCHESTRA November 2002 Conductor: Rennie Regehr Toronto, Ontario Canada |
ROCHESTER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA September 29, 2001 Conductor: Jeff Tyzik Rochester, New York USA |
SCARBOROUGH PHILHARMONIC October 23, 1999 Conductor: Jerome Summers Scarborough, Ontario Canada |
| VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA May 1999 Conductor: Jeff Tyzik Orpheum Theatre Vancouver, British Columbia Canada |
EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA February 1999 Conductor: Grzegorz Nowak Winspear Centre Edmonton, Alberta Canada |
Reviews
Score/Parts Rental
For more information on score and parts rental for Frenergy, contact Ana-Maria Lipoczi at the Toronto rental department of the Canadian Music Centre.
View score sample 
[1.23 MB]
