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Programme Note

These dances were composed early in 1957 and are dedicated to the BBC Light Music Festival. They are all based on original melodies, except one, the melody of which was composed by Robert Burns.

The first dance is in the style of a slow strathspey.

The second, a lively reel, begins in the key of E flat, and rises a semitone each time it is played until the bassoon plays it, at a greatly reduced speed, in the key of G. The final statement of the dance is at the original speed in the home key of E flat.

The third dance is in the style of a Hebridean song and attempts to give an impression of the sea and mountain scenery on a calm summer’s day in the Hebrides.

The last dance is a lively fling which makes a great deal of use of the open strings of the violins.