Enigma VII

Enigma VII for orchestra was inspired by the seventh variation of Edward Elgar's Enigma. It was commissioned by the BBC in 2019 for its premiere at the BBC Proms, as a birthday present for conductor and friend of Wim Henderickx, Martyn Brabbins, on his 60th birthday. Like the original, this work is characterised by a rhythmic and driving force. Starting with the timpani and percussion, Wim Henderickx wanted to compose an exciting and thrilling movement that immediately creates the necessary power, atmosphere and impact. Martyn Brabbins probably chose this variation for Henderickx because, as a percussionist, he often uses a wide variety of percussion instruments in his compositions. With the double bass, tuba and contrabassoon, this work reaches a first short burst of sound, after which the brass instruments take over the leading role with a fanfare-like motif. The various instrumental sections of the orchestra are fully deployed, creating an exciting dialogue between the woodwinds, brass, percussion and strings. In the second movement, the work descends to a melodic and rhythmic theme in the low register, with a groovy touch and accents in the woodwinds and brass instruments. A great deal of musical variation is then added to the basic material (ornaments and variations in colour and rhythm), creating a concertante idiom that leads to the coda. As for the theme itself, Wim Henderickx used and adapted various musical elements from the new Enigma theme, whose composer he did not know, as a source of inspiration. At the end (in the coda), a motif inspired by the spelling of Martyn Brabbins's name is introduced, as a tribute to this great conductor and friend: A-D-B (Martyn) Bb-D-A-Bb-Bb-Eb (Brabbins)