Wheels Within Wheels (2013)
(Piccolo Concerto mov ii: chamber arrangement)

Wheels Within Wheels is the subtile of the scherzo from Paul Stanhope's Piccolo Concerto, suggesting material that moves simultaneously at different speeds. The initials of "wheels within wheels" - www - also hints at the impact of the information age and the sense of overwhelming speed at which our digital world operates. Furthermore, the Old Testament book of Ezekiel makes mention of a vision of the divine throne and four heavenly creatures with chariots of wheels within wheels. Although religious overtones were not deliberately sought out, it is nice to know that you are on the same page as divine creatures.

Replete with twisting, turning solo piccolo passages over percussive orchestral textures, there are humorous interjections from the tuba, bass clarinet and contrabassoon (strange buddies indeed for the piccolo, but perhaps also the other instruments that didn't get invited to the concerto-prom) and also the otherworldly sounds of tuned cowbells.

This Scherzo is written in a kind of binary form, whereby the two halves of the movement are separated by an extended cadenza. Here the solo piccolo can really show its wares as an instrument capable of many surprises, including a number of surprisingly soft high notes and some lush low-register sounds. This launches the music towards a large dance-like climax before the wheels seem to briefly and dangerously jump out of their cogs. Fortunately the solo piccolo puts a stop to this nonsense and restores order for a brief final flourish.

This is a chamber arrangement of this work, suitable for stand-alone performance.