Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Esa-Pekka Salonen
Castor (2019)
- Chester Music Ltd (World)
LA Philharmonic commission with generous support from Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting
- 3(pic)+pic.3+ca.3(bcl)+cbcl.3+cbn/4331/2timp.5perc[4perc]/hp.pn(cel)/str
- 12 min
Programme Note
Castor is the mortal twin brother of Pollux. They share their musical DNA, but Castor introduces some completely independent material.
Castor is mostly hyperactive, noisy and extroverted. The music gesticulates wildly, often in extreme registers. Two pairs of timpani and two bass drums are the rhythmic fundament upon which freer, ornamental lines build. A light, dance-like episode develops into a manic episode dominated by a trochee figure. It burns itself out and sinks onto a low B-flat (the second lowest note on the piano). A massive canon, fortissimo, starts in the strings and the horns, rises to the orchestra’s highest range and sinks into an abyss.
Castor can be played separately as an independent short orchestral work, or following Pollux without pause, attacca. The two pieces performed together are called Gemini, not surprisingly.
Esa-Pekka Salonen, October 2019
Castor is mostly hyperactive, noisy and extroverted. The music gesticulates wildly, often in extreme registers. Two pairs of timpani and two bass drums are the rhythmic fundament upon which freer, ornamental lines build. A light, dance-like episode develops into a manic episode dominated by a trochee figure. It burns itself out and sinks onto a low B-flat (the second lowest note on the piano). A massive canon, fortissimo, starts in the strings and the horns, rises to the orchestra’s highest range and sinks into an abyss.
Castor can be played separately as an independent short orchestral work, or following Pollux without pause, attacca. The two pieces performed together are called Gemini, not surprisingly.
Esa-Pekka Salonen, October 2019
Scores
More Info
- Salonen's Horn Concerto and Swedish residency
- 1st May 2025
- Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct the world premiere of his own Horn Concerto this summer, before embarking on an artist residency with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra for 2025/26.