look what I made – Page 5 – The Artsy Honker

Advent — Christina Rosetti

Byartsyhonker December 4, 2015 0 Comments

We're well into December and there is so much going on that is very focused on Christmas; yet this is still Advent, a season of preparation. Advent is my SATB setting of Christina Rosetti's poem by the same name: 'Come,' Thou dost say to Angels, To blessed Spirits, 'Come': 'Come,' to the lambs of Thine own flock, Thy little ones, 'Come home.' 'Come,' from the many-mansioned house The gracious...

Christmas Carols with the London Gallery Quire

Byartsyhonker November 27, 2015 0 Comments

Wednesday 2nd December 2015 7.00pm Christmas Carols with the London Gallery Quire Tickets £6 on the door St George's German Lutheran Church 55Alie Street London E1 8EB (Located at the junction of Alie St and Leman St – 2 mins walk from Aldgate East tube) If you come along to this concert you will not only get to hear me play the serpent, but you'll be at the premiere of my setting of "The...

Harringey, now with recording.

Byartsyhonker October 13, 2015 2 Comments

Back in 2012 I set these words by Doug Chaplin: From the Jordan to the desert, from the crowd to barren place, Spirit-driven, Satan-tempted, Lord, you sought the Father’s grace: show us now your pow’r, in weakness, presence in the empty space. Out of Egypt with God’s people, freedom brings its testing stress: what is right and what is truthful, how the name of God confess? Jesus, be our...

Song of Easter

Byartsyhonker October 7, 2015 0 Comments

Here's one I wrote earlier, but haven't yet posted. It has more instrumentation than my music usually does! The sheet music is available from the Choral Public Domain Library, and is under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license, as usual. Words by T Thurman: When I was young I feared my growing old lest, being old, I should want youth again, or lest the growing old should cause me...

Continuum (a vilanelle for a lost one)

Byartsyhonker July 27, 2015 0 Comments

My grandmother, Mildred Rose, was a poet; when I was a child she published a book of poetry. Here is one of the poems: I miss you when roots waken to spring rain and more when summer penetrates the land though friends still tell me time will ease my pain. When grave earth flares to lively green again and star-eyed lovers walk, quick hand in hand, I miss you when roots waken to spring rain. As...

Magnificat

Byartsyhonker May 31, 2015 0 Comments

The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is transferred from 31st May to 1st June this year, because Trinity Sunday is more important; but we did get some words to Mary by Athelstan Riley in one of our hymns this morning: "Thou Bearer of the eternal Word, Most gracious, magnify the Lord." I note that Athelstan Riley died in 1945, which means his words become public domain this year (or next? I get...

The Contrite Heart

Byartsyhonker March 6, 2015 1 Comment

Looking for texts to set (I am always looking for texts to set) I stumbled over this one by William Cowper. It looks to me to be a response to Psalm 51: The Lord will happiness divine On contrite hearts bestow; Then tell me, gracious God, is mine A contrite heart or no? I hear, but seem to hear in vain, Insensible as steel; If aught is felt, ‘tis only pain, To find I cannot feel. I sometimes...

Nunc dimittis

Byartsyhonker February 2, 2015 0 Comments

Today is Candlemas. Yesterday I preached at Christ Church Wanstead for the occasion; today I put the finishing touches on my setting of the Nunc dimittis. It's SATB a capella, and a bit crunchy in places; being a bit calmer than some settings, it would be particularly appropriate for use during a service of sung Compline. I've put it up at CPDL as usual but it won't be visible there for another...

Transfiguration — Demo recording

Byartsyhonker January 8, 2015 0 Comments

"Transfiguration-Mariawald-Abbey" by Master of St Severin - Victoria and Albert Museum, . Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons. Some time ago I set Thomas Thurman's poem, "Transfiguration", as a flexible anthem. It can be sung unison and organ, but if there are more voices can expand to soprano and alto, or even soprano, alto and baritone. I've finally gotten around to doing a...

Jubilate Amen

Byartsyhonker October 20, 2014 0 Comments

Just a simple sleepy little piece, this -- almost a hymn rather than an anthem, and almost not a hymn in that it straddles the line between describing worship and participating -- to some words by Thomas Moore: Hark! the vesper hymn is stealing o'er the waters soft and clear; nearer yet and nearer pealing and now bursts upon the ear: Jubilate amen! Farther now, now farther stealing soft it fades...