Juan Colomer

La Devota Lasciva

La Devota Lasciva (The Lascivious Devout) is a piece in three movements for brass quintet and orchestra lwith the quintet acting as the soloist, although the orchestra role is not limited to a mere accompaniment, the functions of both entities are very much interweaved throughout the entire piece. The three movements correspond more or less with those of a classical concerto structure, including a cadenza at the end of the first movement and a slow middle movement. The last movement starts as a traditional Minuet, gradually loosing that identity in favor of sections that allow both the soloists and the orchestra to show their virtuoso skills. Despite what its title might suggest, 'La Devota Lacsciva' is not intended to be a programmatic piece. Its only storyline would be the narrative provided by the music itself. Stylistically, some elements and techniques from the 17 and 18 centuries are extrapolated and transformed through the utilization of altered harmonies and rhythmic mutations in an attempt to create a language that, in my opinion, serves the idiomatic characteristics of the brass quintet well. Juan J. Colomer Los Angeles, February 2007