Awakening
For Orchestra
John Evans
“What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden.”
- Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton, T. S. Elliot
Awakening is a journey. I used to write songs and tour as a rock musician. As the
years went by I started to see these songs as snapshots of my life - periods of my
life or about someone in particular.
“Awakening” for orchestra is in four movements. Each of the elements and themes
within each movement is an expression about my feelings during this period.
The first movement, “Out of darkness” starts with a long forbidding note. There is a
slow brooding build up depicting a melancholic state that transcends into something
more affirming. The movement explores a variety of themes and contrasting keys
and sections resolving into pastoral music depicting a love of nature and England as
I thought it once was…
“Flight” movement two, is an expression of escaping the internal violence, angst, fear
and the traumatic landscape of half remembered dreams and memories. I explore
the high and lows and the extremes of chaos in a fast moving movement that is
punctuated with percussive rhythms and strong brass outbursts.
“Awakening”, the third movement of the Symphony and the movement from which
the Symphony is named, is a neo-romantic dreamscape, a fulfilling awakening,
moving away from darkness and looking towards the light. The movement opens
with rich string ensemble writing and soaring melodies, a calming from the previous
movement, memories of a lost love. An elegy for the brevity of life and inspired by
the T.S. Elliot quote “in my beginning is my end” with the movement resolving in
hope.
“Coming Home” (the final movement) is an affirmation of this awakening, a coming
home to myself and nature. Each of the previous movements themes are drawn
together, entangled and developed seeking an acceptance, but perhaps not a
resolution.

Awakening - Second Movement Extract FINAL MIX

John Evans

 - Composer, songwriter, lyricist and writer - 

One of my great loves is rock and roll. I started my career as a singer songwriter and guitarist and I played the folk circuits around the UK, playing both acoustic and electric guitar. I toured extensively in Europe, living in Amsterdam and Paris, and played in many bands. On my return to England I formed the J Evans Band and I released three albums called “In the Wild Years,” “Survivor,” and “A Better Man.”

From the album “Survivor”:
“Evans righteous fury wouldn’t be worth a damn if he didn’t have the musical muscle to ram it home… tracks like “Are you ready” and “City of Lights” show his real strength, hard-edged boogie blues, that get men drinking and nodding - offset by stunning Springsteen-esque ballads like “No Smoke without Fire” and “Shadowlands” Evans hasn’t just survived, he is flourishing.”
- Henry Yates, Classic Rock

I’ve always enjoyed orchestral music, particularly Shostakovich. The possibilities that an orchestra gives a composer - particularly the dynamic range and the huge majestic sound of the string section are quite simply incomparable to what can be achieved with a rock band.

When I stopped touring I stopped writing songs, this was not a conscious decision, it just happened that way. Around about the same time I discovered orchestral samples and a new way to express myself creatively.

Around about this time I met Derek Williams and I became a student of his online as he is based in Edinburgh and I am in London. With his help and guidance I created the Symphony “Awakening”. 

Other projects I’m working on include poetry, short stories, and a new string quartet. Who knows, I might even start writing songs again…

Awakening - Second Movement Extract FINAL MIX

John Evans Music and Words