Programme Note

Stepping Out is a short, ‘up-front’ kind of piece, commissioned specially for the Royal Northern College of Music String Orchestra’s premiere London concert at the Barbican Centre in November 1996.

The piece is based on a short repetitive pattern, heard at the outset, which dominates the music. A second idea, featuring solo strings, is more chromatic and contrapuntal although the basic rhythmic pattern still underpins it. The music gradually loses energy and stops. It starts again, this time a tri-tone away from the opening pitch of A, but then explodes into a wild fugue before the opening returns with a surprise addition to the ensemble.

The style is intentionally eclectic (Adams meets Shostakovich with Gregson thrown in!), but hopefully fits the brief to write a snappy concert opener for string orchestra.


Listen

Reviews

Gregson is no minimalist and the brief polyphonic second section shows how his compositional skills were honed and refined under Bush [his teacher], while he adds a spontaneous lyrical momentum all his own.

Ivan March, Gramophone

… overlays lyrical and ostinato elements. During its three-minute span there is a growing sense of optimism, and a percussive surprise.

Colin Anderson, International Record Review, November 2003

… is a short, dashing work of great energy which the composer rather jocularly describes as ‘John Adams meets Shostakovich, with a bit of Gregson thrown in’.

Hubert Culot, MusicWeb International

Stepping Out is a vigorous string orchestra essay in minimalism which suggests John Adams.  Indeed, the booklet quotes the throwaway remark, presumably made by the composer: ‘John Adams meets Shostakovich, with a bit of Gregson thrown in.’

Lewis Foreman, MusicWeb International

Written: 1996

Instrumentation:
string orchestra

Genre: Orchestral

Publisher: Novello

Duration: 4'

First Performance: 6 November 1996
Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, London, UK
Royal Northern College of Music String Orchestra, Malcolm Layfield (conductor)