Sally Beamish

Programme Note

I lived for seven years by Endrick Water. My cellist husband fished there. The river's moods, swayed by the weather and seasons, were a daily background to our lives. The River poems, by Ted Hughes, written from an angler's perspective, caught my imagination because of their depth and colour, and the many vivid sound images.
When Robert Cohen and I first discussed ideas for a new concerto, he suggested a piece in variation form. Suddenly I realised that a stretch of river is the embodiment of `variation form.' - the same, but constantly changing. This idea, together with the inspiration of Robert's particularly colourful virtuosity, were the starting point of the concerto.
It is in four movements, the first three running without a break. Each describes a different aspect of the river, reflecting the four poems and each develops from the same material in a different way.
River is dedicated to Robert Cohen, and was commissioned by Robert Cohen and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The composer gratefully acknowledges financial assistance from the Scottish Arts Council towards the preparation of performing material.
Sally Beamish