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Thalia is a playful, impish Muse who has never quite grown up! She’s a bit of a trickster, but without any malice; it’s all just for fun!
She starts with an upbeat frolic in 5/4, just to be unconventional. The bass and guitar join in with the game and set things up for the alto saxophone, the main voice of the muse in this piece. After the jaunty melody has been played out once, it is repeated and joined by a flute, first in unison but then deciding on different directions and playing in harmony with one another.
The guitar pokes it’s head out for a brief moment, playing a harmonic dance over the fretboard before a new company of instruments is introduced, led by the trombone. Their melody seems sweet and innocent but Thalia plays havoc with the timing, using an occasional bar of 6/4, just to throw everyone off!
Once things settle back down into a regular 5 pattern, the drums have the confidence to kick in and drive things along a bit, while the piano partners itself with the bass in perfect unison. The sax breaks out into a solo, full of vim and vigour, weaving confidently around the rhythm of 5 and echoing the themes from earlier in the piece. The alto sax explores the extent of it’s range from top to bottom before being taken over by the trumpet, a new character in this piece, and just as cheeky, as it bends through notes and quotes another well known tune played over 5.
After another harmonic dance by the guitar, the trombone and flutes pick up their tune from earlier. This time things are different though… everyone has figured out how this game is played, so one by one, encouraged by the solid foundation provided by the drums, percussion, bass, guitar and piano, melody is laid upon melody in a playful, cooperative way. The sax with yet another new melody plays out the company before handing the baton to her sister Clio, the Muse of History.
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