[1] Harbison described his inspiration for the work in the score program notes, writing, "Among the first musical images were a carillon melody associated with the church of San Ilario, near Genoa, a long violin line with percussion accompaniment, and a drum pattern I associated with the Baltimore swing era hero, Chick Webb.
American only in its occasional raucousness and smoochy rhythm, the music is too monotone in tempo and argument to grip the imagination.
Conversely, Alexandra Coghlan of the New Statesman called it "a good sampler of the composer's technique - rigorous structural architecture underpinning attractive textural effects."
She continued:With their programmatic titles - "Disconsolate", "Nostalgic", "Militant" - the movements lend themselves to evocation, an approach that works particularly well in second episode "Nostalgic", where disparate memories stir from each orchestral section - a folk tune from the woodwind, grudging remembrances from the brass - before becoming woven together in a colourful fog over sustained pedal points.
"Militant" stages a vibrant fist-fight between tuned percussion and orchestra (...), before we cruise into the finale and a huge groove from the brass.