Moses and Ramses

This piece was commissioned by Matsudo Citizen Wind Orchestra for their 30th anniversary concert and premiêred by the band conducted by Kenichiro Hasunuma in July 2009. This piece is typical of Satoshi Yagisawa in that it depicts a magnificent spectacle. This one is set in ancient Egypt and is based on the story depicted in the famous film “The Ten Commandments” (1956, directed by Cecil B. DeMille). One day Moses, who was raised by the rich royal family, found out that he was originally Hebrew. The Hebrews had been forced to live as slaves. Ramses, the prince directly descended from the Pharaoh, envied Moses’ strength and popularity. After internal argument Moses decides todeliver the Hebrew from the Pharaoh’s tyranny and escape from Egypt with them.The music starts with brilliant royal fanfare and depicts magnificent architecture, the Hebrew people forced into hard labour, and the slaves escaping from the Pharaoh’s tyranny. At the climax they are at crisis point, trapped by the sea. Moses waves his staff and the miracle happens; the sea parts and Hebrew people successfully escape. Following on from Perseus - A Hero’s Quest in the Heavens , this work Moses and Ramses is another piece written in the dramatic style favoured by Satoshi Yagisawa.