Taqsim

Taqsim – a fantasia for orchestra (2025)

for symphony orchestra

2 fl, picc; 2 ob; 2 cl, b cl; 2 bsn, cbsn
2 hn; 2 tpt; 2 tbn, b tbn; tba
timp; 2 perc
strings

Duration: c. 4 minutes

Programme note:

Taqsim – a fantasia for orchestra

A taqsim is a traditional form of improvised solo music that typically precedes a classical Arabic, Kurdish, Greek, or Turkish composition. Usually performed by a single instrumentalist – sometimes accompanied by a percussionist or another supporting player – it serves as a free, expressive exploration of a mode or maqam.

While this work draws inspiration from this centuries-old practice and retains a sense of improvisatory freedom, it is a fully composed work conceived for a modern symphony orchestra. The main melodic theme is rooted in an instrumental form of Ottoman classical music, characterized by its rhythmic structure, using a specific 10/8 rhythmic pattern.

By expanding the intimate, spontaneous character of a solo taqsim into the rich palette of the orchestra, the piece transforms a personal act of ornamentation and discovery into a collective sonic journey – where individual instrumental voices intertwine, echo, and respond within a tapestry of rhythm and melody.

Charlie Barber, September 2025