World Premiere of The Amiable Consort, composed by Maestro Robert W. Butts. November 22, 2022, Dolan Hall, Saint Elizabeth University, Morristown, New Jersey.
Comissioned by Judith Gibson, The Amiable Consort was composed during the summer of 2022 by Maestro Robert W. Butts.
The work is in 4 movements:
1. 0:00 - Prologue/Awakening
2. 4:03 - Relationships
3. 8:10 - Fugal Explorations
4. 11:08 - Living/Being
"The music is not meant to depict anything specific," Maestro Butts explained. "It is about life. It can be looking back on one's life, or it can be a day in one's life, or a period of time, or a journey or experience. There is always a beginning in which one becomes aware of ideas, places, possibilities, and the excitement of discovery. There are always relationships of many kinds - romantic, family, friends, professional." Every moment involves explorations of one kind or another through traveling, reading, completing a project, or whatever one does. I call it 'fugal" because musically it is a fugue. For fun, I sort of take ideas from Pachelbel and Bach and then turn them around. The final movement is about celebrating life and enjoying everything on life's journey. Musical themes from the first three movements return throughout the finale."
For the world premiere, Chloe Martins creating the choreography and brought her dance troupe to the performance
