When beginning this piece I was also working on a flute concerto entitled ‘Callisto’, which follows Ovid’s tale of metamorphosis. I represented Juno, the jealous wife of Callisto’s seducer, Jove, with the trumpet, and became more and more interested in the material for Juno – so much so that the trumpet began to take on almost a concertante role in the flute concerto.
In the end I curtailed Juno’s presence in the concerto, and transferred her to this smaller piece for trumpet and organ, where she could rant and spit in a more contained space.
Juno was commissioned by Barry Millington and Deborah Calland with support from the Scottish Arts Council, RVW Trust and Britten-Pears Foundation. It was first performed at the Chelsea Arts Festival by Deborah Calland and Thomas Corns in June 2005.
Sally Beamish 2005
Premiere details
June 2005 Deborah Calland and Thomas Corns / Chelsea Arts Festival