Although a contract was signed, a series of misunderstandings between the parties involved resulted in protracted and ultimately fruitless negotiations with the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, who could not accept some of the conditions tied to the contribution.
[1][2] In March 1978, the announcement for the opening concert of the next season of the New York Philharmonic gives the title of Barber's new work as The Ambiguities (after Melville).
[4][5] Barber composed the Essay in Italy during the following summer, completing the score in the third week of August, less than a month before it was premiered on September 14, 1978, in Avery Fisher Hall, by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Zubin Mehta in his debut as music director.
[6][7] The Third Essay for Orchestra is scored for a large orchestra consisting of piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, E♭ clarinet, two clarinets in B♭, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, euphonium, three trombones, tuba, two harps, piano, two timpanists (each with four drums); an exceptionally large percussion section, including small and large tam-tams, bass drum, metal sheet, marimba, xylophone, cymbal, high and low snare drums, wood block, bells, antique cymbal, and bongos, none of which are listed on the preface page of the published score; and strings.
The introductory material serves as a point of reference that holds together the various themes that follow, with the paramount objective of creating unity.