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Symphony
No.2 for double orchestra (1965) |
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three
linked movements, 2/2/2/2, 2/2, timps, perc (1 player),
str. |
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The RTE
Symphony Orchestra conducted by Albert Rosen |
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| The orchestra is divided into two groups, the first comprising one of each pair of wind instruments plus the violins, the second the other half of the wind plus the lower strings. There is a third entity, the percussion which can play with either group or independently. The three movements are joined and this short extract is from the beginning of the scherzo, where the playful close dialogue between the instruments will soon turn to anger. The first performance of the symphony was given by the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Janos Furst. | ||
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Wexford
Bells, Suite for Orchestra on old Irish Tunes (1967) |
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| Four movements, 2/1/2/1 2/2/1 timps/2perc, harp,str. pub. Novello | ||
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Royal Ballet
Sinfonia cond. Gavin Sutherland |
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Commissioned for the BBC NI Light
Orchestra, the work is dedicated to Alan Tongue who conducted the first
performance. This short extract is from the beginning of the fourth
movement which is based on a carol tune from |
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Songs
of Old Age (1968)
Listen
to Extract |
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Seven
settings for baritone and piano of poems by WB Yeats, with a piano
interlude. |
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Henry Herford
(baritone) and Robin Bowman (piano) Recorded
in the Great Hall of |
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This song cycle consists of settings for baritone and piano of poems by WB Yeats. It falls into two parts divided by a piano interlude. Part I is about the frustrations and sorrows of old age. The three songs of part II dwell on a favourite theme of Yeats, that art and song can provide an escape from these limitations. Come let me sing into your ear, the second of these, treats this subject in a comic way. There are three verses, each finishing with the words I carry the sun in a golden cup, |
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| The music is published by Novello and the words are used by permission of Miss Anne Yeats and Mr. Michael Yeats. | ||
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String
Quartet No.2 “The Bells” (1975)
four movements Listen to Extract |
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The
Dartington Quartet; Colin Sauer, Malcolm Latchem (violins), Keith Lovell
(viola), Michael Evans (cello) |
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A short extract from
the scherzo Vivace leggiero in which the interval of a third is
used extensively. The quartet was written for the Dartington Quartet
whose playing was for me an inspiration. |
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Dwell
in my Love (1979 rev. 1991) Listen
to Extract anthem for SATB and organ, written for the wedding of two friends who chose the words from John 15 10-12. The extract gives the closing bars of the anthem, a short passage for soloists leading to a reprise of the main theme. Recorded by The anthem is published on Sibeliusmusic |
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Golden
Rings for choir a cappella (1987) Listen
to Extract |
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Bristol
University Singers conducted by Glyn Jenkins |
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“Gentle John” is the first of a set of four settings of the words of traditional children’s singing games, each making use of musical rounds. Here’s a girl with a golden ring
in my lady’s garden. Published on Sibeliusmusic |
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The
Starlight Night for choir SSAATTBB to the poem by GM Hopkins (1990)
Listen
to Extract |
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Bristol Bach
Choir conducted by Glyn Jenkins |
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This was a commission from the Bristol Bach choir for a contribution to a concert of settings of Gerard Manley Hopkins. I suppose the overriding quality of this poem is its sheer ecstasy which, in this opening passage, I have tried to match with quick heterophony in the upper voices. Look at the stars! Look, look up
at the skies! Published on Sibeliusmusic |
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Sonata
for violin and piano (1993) in
three movements Listen to Extract |
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The Kingsdown
Duo, Roger Huckle (violin), John Bishop (piano) |
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Like the
second quartet, the sonata is inspired by bells whose changes are not
rigorously followed but whose patterns and sonorities are used to
suggest figures, textures and structural elements. The extract is from
the first movement Andante calmato-Allegro
ritmico. It has the title Grandshire
Doubles and uses patterns of five bells. |
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Mother
Watkins’ Ayres, Divertimento on Tudor themes for wind quintet (2002)
Listen
to Extract |
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Noctutus
Ensemble Catherine Maytum (flute), Charlie Bird (oboe), Helen Finch
(clarinet), Paul Tomlinson (horn), Lisa Portus (bassoon) |
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The
divertimento is based on tunes which were popular in |
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Death of Orpheus for baritone solo, choir and tubular bell (2005) |
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The Bristol University Singers
conducted by Glyn Jenkins, solo Jonathan Small, a member of the choir. |
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| The cantata is a setting in four movements of a dramatic poem by John Reed. The extract is taken from about halfway through the first movement, where the creatures dance to Orpheus’ music | ||
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The
song was broken, yet silence bound Ordered
by music, in and out |
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| The cantata is published on Sibeliusmusic | ||
| Contact
address: Raymond
Warren, 4, Contemporis, |
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