Ballantine - A Three Piece Suit

From the composer: Casual dress has all but obliterated the once ubiquitous three-piece suit. Yet, in its day, a neatly tailored ensemble of trousers, vest and jacket was all a man needed to convey his essence to the world around him. Scherzo: Linear patterns and diatonic harmonies are used to suggest 'the suit trousers' and carry the energy and motion of a man with a purpose. His quickstep path along a busy city sidewalk sometimes requires him to skip around a puddle. But his direction is singular and well measured. He knows where he's headed and he travels with the confidence of one deserving a razor-sharp crease. Espressivo: Resonant chords and chromatic harmonies are used to suggest 'the vest' and reveal the garment most close to the heart, the emotional centre of our man about town. Is he a philanthropist or a philosopher? Is he troubled, or simply richly-centered, choosing to keep his feelings and his thoughts to himself? Allegro: Serial patterns and angular harmonies are used to suggest 'the jacket', the most visible part of the ensemble and the most capable of conveying personality. We immediately sense that our guy is a singular dude, happy with extremes and prone to flamboyance. He is proud of his threads and has the character to back up any illusion created by his dress. Parts: BC & TC