The Partita is cast in three movements. The first derives its impetus from the soloist's opening gambit and the orchestral ritornello heard soon after. Their frequent reappearances enshrine a dorian tonality and embody a structure not unlike a rondo.The Arioso is for solo violin with support from the string orchestra in the main, an extended cantilena redolent of warm memories. Finally, in the rhythm of a jig, various of the concertante elements re-emerge. Woodwind and horns in the middle section and more especially the violin become increasingly prominent until near the end a cadenza for the soloist ponders fragments in retrospect before a final flourish.
John Ritchie was one of New Zealand’s senior composers. Throughout a long composing career, he elected to write in an accessible and traditional manner, often in stark contrast to much of the work being produced by his contemporaries in the style of the European avant garde. He created a body of work which, while less well-known than it deserves to be, is loved and enjoyed by performers and audiences alike for its deft craftsmanship and pleasing melodic grace.
