Written in 1999 as a sequel to Hidden Variables, composed 10 years earlier, Unfolded Order is a much more restrained, even muted, counterpart to the earlier work. The durations of the two pieces are exactly the same, so that the combined work lasts 26 minutes. As the title suggests, the music, entirely derived from Hidden Variables, unravels the convoluted arguments of its predecessor, though moving gradually towards the same climax, which is resolved in a dramatic but far less manic fashion and fades gently away. Unfolded Order was composed at the request of Ashley Page for his ballet Hidden Variables, first performed at the reopening of the Royal Opera House in December 1999. It is dedicated to his children, Jordan and Audrey.
Categories: Orchestra