There Is No Rose
Here is my setting of an anonymous text from around 1420: It was wonderful to compose this for the Cathedral Singers of Ontario, who I’ve sung with for many years on their visits to the UK, and to sing it … Continue reading
Tag Archives: composing
Hilltop 55 54 D
Another hymn tune! This one, I think, might be suitable for Harvest, though the Revd Ally Barrett based it on the theology behind the gospel story about tax: ‘render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s; render to God that which … Continue reading
Waving
The past week has been a little less silly than some, but still busy. The West Gallery course at Benslow last weekend was great fun, but hard work: we really could have done with another four or six singers, which … Continue reading
Art House: a hymn for Easter
I know, I know, it isn’t Easter yet, we’ve only just started Lent, and it’s probably too late for most people to use this hymn this year. But I liked the text, by Ally Barrett, very much: Life comes to … Continue reading
#1daywithoutus
Today was the One Day Without Us National Day of Action to celebrate the contributions migrants make to the UK. For me, it was more a day of inaction; the past week has been very busy, and I have been … Continue reading
What I learned from Morten Lauridsen
Last week, American composer Morten Lauridsen was composer-in-residence at the University of Aberdeen, where I am studying choral composition. Over the course of the week I heard him speak at the Composers’ Forum and at two concerts, as well as … Continue reading
Sonnet 27
The Fourth Choir had a composing competition, which I entered. I didn’t make their shortlist, so here is my setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 27. The words, of course: Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed, The dear repose … Continue reading
Composer in Residence?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to continue building some kind of career as a composer of choral music, especially liturgical music. I do most of my publicity online, and church music is still a largely-offline world. I … Continue reading
Open Volume
I am looking for words and music for a hymnal. The working title is “Open Volume: singable, photocopiable hymns”. The intent is to create a body of new hymnody which will be available to churches as a supplement, or as … Continue reading
How I write songs
This is a description of how I go about composing choral works. I sometimes skip steps, sometimes take a lot longer over one step than other times. And of course, this is only what I do — others may have … Continue reading