Passing The Crown

Passing The Crown is a three movement suite in the baroque style. The first movement describes the procession through a grand hall, which marks the beginning of a coronation ceremony. The piece starts with stately chords in the string section, and then the main theme is heard on the harpsichord. The keyboard writing is typically baroque, using ornamentation such as turns and trills. The theme is repeated and interleaved with two other themes, giving the simple structure of ABACAA. For the final repeat, the violins take over the melody.

The second movement, Coronation, depicts the moment when the new king is crowned. The piece is slower, and is noble and reflective. Again, the harpsichord is the central instrument, backed up by lighter strings, often played pizzicato. At one point, the theme is split between the violas and cellos, with each section playing just a small fragment, before transferring the line to the next section. A flute also features at the end, giving the texture some height.

The last movement portrays a post coronation celebratory dance by a jester. It has a steady rhythm, with every beat being accented. The strings mainly play quavers, adding increased motion to each beat. Initially, the harpsichord has a somewhat frantic melody, and later the instrument has a cadenza consisting of fast arpeggios and broken chords. The piece ends with the violins and harpsichord playing the theme in unison.

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