Adam lay y-bounden , written in 1999, may look like a simple A minor SATB carol, and indeed it cannot be especially challenging to sing. Yet the calm of its insistent ostinati, gently tossed between the voices, is always just undermined by a syncopated soprano line that can never quite be taken for granted.
Born in Chester in 1947, Howard Skempton has worked as a composer, accordionist, and music publisher. Renowned for the distinctive clarity of his musical language, he has composed over 300 pieces, many of which are miniatures for solo piano or accordion. His orchestral and instrumental works have been recorded by, among others, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble Bash. In recent years, Skempton has concentrated increasingly on writing vocal and choral music; his
choral commissions include works for the BBC Singers and the Belfast Philharmonic Society. He is currently an Honorary Professor of Music at De Montfort University.
