Robin Goodfellow (aka “Puck”) is traditionallyknown as the “goblin of the hearth”. In addition toShakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream he appears inBen Jonson, Milton and Kipling as well as earlier Celticorigins. In Old English pucel is a kind of half-tamedwoodland spirit, leading folk astray with echoes andlights in night time woodlands. But it is the “shrewd andknavish” Puck of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that caughtmy imagination, and the two movements of my trioexplore his mischievous, unpredictable personality andinteractions with the Athenian lovers and fairy queen Titania. A swooping, magical introduction leads to a bright,fast theme in ever-changing time-signatures –unpredictable as the woodland sprite. A contrasting“rambunctious” theme suggests the sprite’s mischief as heuses love flower’s juice to entangle the Athenian lovers.The middle Adagio section features a duet between theflute and oboe as the lovers become increasinglyintoxicated and confused. The second movement startswith contemplative solos for the flute and oboe. Themovement is darker and explores Titania’s attachment tothe Changeling Boy and the unkindness of Oberon’s trickin making her fall in love with Nick Bottom as an ass.Then, as in the play, Puck puts things right, the lovers arereconciled, and the music ends with exuberant whoops asthe spirit disappears. Puck’s speech from Act 2 Scene 1may be spoken as an introduction to the trio: Goodfellow was first performed and recorded byDaniel and Emily Pailthorpe and Julian Milford atChamps Hill Music Room, Sussex on 11 November 2015.
- ISMN: 9790708129264 (M708129264)
