TOWARDS THE PLACE
BRING DOWN AN ANGEL
TO THE ISLAND - THREE CHINESE SONGS
MY BELOVED SPAKE
I SHALL KEEP SINGING
LOOK, STRANGER, AT THIS ISLAND NOW
HAIL, GLORIOUS SPIRITS!
DOMINE JHESU CHRISTE
...
TOWARDS THE PLACE…
Text: Valentine Ackland
Instrumentation: S S A Viola, Horn, Piano, Celeste & Percussion
Duration: 6.5’
First Performance: November 2008, Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music, conducted by the composer
BRING DOWN AN ANGEL
Text: Adapted by the composer from a selection of folk songs from Crete and Thrace
Instrumentation: S S A String Quartet, optional parts for Recorder and mandolin
Duration: 5’
First Performance: 2008, Highcliffe Junior Choir
Commissioned by the BBC for the Polish children’s choir, Szczygielki
TO THE ISLAND - THREE CHINESE SONGS
1. KING CH' IN DRINKS WINE [1997]
2. TO THE ISLAND [2000]
3. THE WATCHMAN'S DRUM [2000]
Text: David Knotts from the Chinese
Scoring: S A & Piano
Duration:12’
First Performance: 2000 International Eisteddfod, Llangollen, Highcliffe Junior Choir, conducted by Mary Denniss
Commissioned by Highcliffe Junior Choir
THE WATCHMAN'S DRUM by David Knotts
The words of The Watchman’s Drum are based on a poem by the 8th century Chinese poet Li Ho called The Watchman’s Drum in the Streets of the Officials.
There is a repeating chorus in which the composer imagines the choir as a marching, chanting army whose responsibility is to keep track of time by drumming morning and evening.
In between these choruses, the choir describe a refugee making his escape on a horse and the drunken antics of King Ch’in and Emperor Wu.
MY BELOVED SPAKE
Text: The Song of Solomon
Scoring: S A T B & Organ
Duration: 4’
First Performance: 31st October 1998, Tewkesbury Abbey
I SHALL KEEP SINGING
1. I SHALL KEEP SINGING!
2. SPLIT THE LARK
Text: Emily Dickinson
Scoring: S S A - Flute & Clarinet
Duration: 7’
First Performance: November 1996, St John’s, Smith Square, New London Children’s Choir, conducted by Ron Corp
Commisioned for the NLCC with funds from the Vaughan Williams Trust
These settings of poems by Emily Dickinson are united by the imagery if birds and flying. In the first, birds fly past the poet on their way to yellower climes. In the second somewhat more macabre poem, Dickinson urges us to split the lark to find the music bulb after bulb – in silver rolled.
LOOK, STRANGER, AT THIS ISLAND NOW
Text: W. H. Auden
Scoring: S S S A A T T B B - Bassett Horn & Oboe
Duration: 5’
First Performance: 1994, St Giles Church, Cripplegate, BBC Singers, conducted by Simon Joly
Recorded by BBC Radio Three and broadcast in 1995
HAIL, GLORIOUS SPIRITS!
Text: J. Austin
Scoring: S S A
Duration: 4 ’
First Performance: 1994, St Dionis Church, Parsons Green, Lady Margaret School Chamber Choir, conducted by David Knotts
DOMINE JHESU CHRISTE
Text: King Henry VI
Scoring: A A T T B B
Duration: 5’
First Performance: 1994, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, conducted by Stephen Cleobury
