Birtwistle Tragoedia Study Score

Tragoedia (the original meaning of which is “goat-song”) is abstract theatre. Although violence often dominates the music’s character, the mood in no way suggests tragedy. The ensemble seldom plays simultaneously; for the most part, groups of instruments or soloists are juxtaposed, creating highly original sonic colours. The horn, cello and harp are especially important – the horn quite savage, the cello more tender and fragile, with the harp among the other two. Tragoedia is a classic of modern chamber-music literature.