Invocation is a celebration of beginnings, particularly the beginnings of concerts. It evolves out of the traditional tuning process, with the strings playing an invocation hymn. They are followed by brass fanfares which prepare the main body of the work, which is written in the spirit of an overture.

Directions:

• The conductor comes to the podium before the orchestra has tuned and motions the oboe to give an "A" for the winds and brass (meas. 1)
• The winds and brass go through the normal tuning process
• The conductor then asks for another "A" for the strings (meas. 2)
• They also go through the normal tuning process
• As the string sound diminishes, the cellos emerge from the texture with their harmonic "A" (end of meas. 2)
• The last stands of the upper strings begin playing at meas. 3
• The remainder of the sections enter (at meas. 3) stand by stand every few seconds from the back forward to the first stands
• Each performer should play the passage at approximately quarter note = 90, but should not make any attempt to co-ordinate with other members of the section
• When the final "A" is reached (the fermata in meas. 19), sustain until the brass begin, then fade away
• The conductor begins the beat just before the pick-up to meas. 20

Invocation is punctuated by quotations from famous overtures:

• Handel: Overture to Messiah
• Mozart: Overture to Marriage of Figaro
• Weber: Overture to Oberon
• Beethoven: Egmont Overture
• Brahms: Academic Festival Overture
• Wagner: Prelude to Tristan und Isolde

Thus, at every level...tuning, invocation, fanfare, and overture...beginnings and openings are the topic. Even the ending is in itself a beginning, opening the way for the remainder of the concert.