txt Symphony in D-Minor: A Symphony of Memory and Hope

Symphony in D Minor
for Full Orchestra
Michael Potts

Symphony in D Minor is a large-scale four-movement work for full orchestra that explores memory, loss, longing, and redemption through a deeply personal musical language. While rooted in the symphonic tradition of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the work draws upon a wide range of influences, from Gothic atmosphere and film music to classical forms and contemporary harmonic textures.

The symphony unfolds as a musical narrative. The opening movement presents themes of childhood wonder shadowed by the intrusion of suffering and loss. An expansive second movement reflects on memory, first love, and the persistence of the past. The scherzo combines moments of joy and exuberance with sudden interruptions, suggesting both the beauty and fragility of human relationships. The finale gathers material from the earlier movements into a dramatic struggle between remembrance and release, culminating in a conclusion that is both poignant and hopeful.

Throughout the work, recurring motives serve as musical memories, reappearing in altered forms as the symphony progresses. Dark orchestral colors, lyrical melodies, and moments of intense contrapuntal development contribute to a score that seeks to unite emotional immediacy with formal coherence.

Written for full orchestra, Symphony in D Minor is intended for conductors, performers, and listeners who appreciate programmatic orchestral music that engages enduring human themes: love and loss, grief and hope, memory and transcendence.

Instrumentation

Piccolo
2 Flutes
2 Oboes
English Horn
2 Clarinets in B-flat
Bass Clarinet
2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon

4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in C
3 Trombones
Tuba

Timpani
Percussion (multiple players)

Harp

Strings

Approximate Duration: 20 minutes

Full Score