List of Works || Divertimento No. 7

Divertimento No. 7 was commissioned by Eugene Rittich, principal horn of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with the support of the Ontario Arts Council; Rittich was the featured soloist with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra’s radio premiere. The work’s structure exhibits Weinzweig’s growing interest in shorter interconnected sections as opposed to a small number of large, independent movements. In 1993, Weinzweig arranged the work for horn and piano.

Weinzweig describes the work as follows in the score:
"Divertimento No. 7 ... extends the traditional treatment of the horn through expanding its rhythmic and timbric potential. The horn (as protagonist) and the strings are assigned separate thematic identities. The role of the strings is to engage the soloist in the following ways: in a dialogue relationship, as a counter-force setting the action level, [and] as a signal source to animate the horn. In the short introduction, the horn presents a seminal motive of four notes that is to become a unifying element throughout the work. The form is an extended movement with nine interconnected sections, linked by horn solos, and alternating fast and slow events. The longest sections occur at the beginning and the finale. In between, the horn and strings are subject to either synchronized rhythmic control, or as in the four cadenzas preceding the final section, non-synchronized rhythmic mobility, activated only by cues from the conductor. ... Some special sonic features are the horn alternating in open and stopped tones, bursts of glissandi, 1/4 tone oscillations, finger tapping strings and percussive hand slaps on the contrabass."

Written by Alexa Woloshyn. Score notes written by John Weinzweig. Used with the permission of the Canadian Music Centre.