Dream of Zanzibar

Description

Dream of Zanzibar

The Dream of Zanzibar is the latest example of the composer’s fascination with Romantic Orientalism. Romantic Orientalism refers to the Western artistic representation of the “Orient” or Eastern world during the Romantic era, often portraying it as exotic, sensual, and adventurous. Turner’s now-famous tone poem The Casbah of Tetouan (Op. 21) is a classic example of his work in this genre.

In this eight-minute piece for horn and piano, there is no particular story or narrative. Turner drew his inspiration from online images of Romantic Orientalist paintings by artists such as Eugène Delacroix and Jean-Léon Gérôme.

The work includes two special effects that require some explanation: 

In the horn part, measures 105 and 117 require the player to attempt to produce the written notes using the “half-valve” extended technique. The horn player should experiment with various fingerings (half-valve) to achieve the desired effect. Rather than aiming for precision, these notes should slide into one another.

In the piano part, in measures 118, 202, 205, 206, 208–210, and 212–214, the pianist is called upon to stand and lightly dampen the strings indicated in the score with the right hand while striking the corresponding keys with the left hand strongly enough to produce the desired effect, evoking the sound of the Arabic instrument known as the Saz. 

This work was composed between March 31 and April 2, 2025, in Brussels. It was commissioned by the Concorso Internazionale “Città di Porcia” in Italy to serve as the required piece for the second round.