Sweet was the song: from Make We Merry

ISBN-13: 9780193530997 / Angielski

David Bednall

Opis

for SS and organ This movement from Make We Merry sets the words of the seventeenth-century Christmas text 'Sweet was the song' to a straightforward and lyrical solo line in the first soprano part, with an imitative second soprano part joining towards the end. The organ accompaniment gently underpins the tender vocal lines throughout.

Recenzje

This is a lovely setting of these words, with a haunting opening phrase that returns as a 'rocked him sweetly' motif, appropriate for a lullaby. The harmonies have an expressive tenderness; each verse builds to a musical climax, but always restrained since, indeed, 'sweet was the song'. Warmly recommended for upper voices at Christmas.

O autorze

David Bednall is one of the leading choral composers of his generation. He has an extensive freelance playing and conducting career, and is Organist of The University of Bristol, Sub-organist at Bristol Cathedral, and conducts The University Singers. He won prizes in Improvisation and Performance at the examination for FRCO, and has improvised on live radio, and performed extensively in the UK and abroad. He appeared as stunt-organist on 'Dr Who. He is most prominent as a composer, and recordings of his works have been extremely well received. A number of his works have been broadcast on radio, and he has been commissioned by St Paul's Cathedral, and The Queen's College, Oxford. His 40-part motet Lux orta est iusto closed the Bristol Proms 2015 and December 2018 saw the premiere of Make We Merry for upper voices, brass, and organ, commissioned by Benenden and the recording of this has been released on Regent Records.