Thea Musgrave

With words from Robert Burns and Music by Thea Musgrave A Winter's Morning was written for Dennis Stevenson.

Cantilena was commissioned by the London Chamber Music Society to celebrate their move to King's Place in October 2008. First performed by Nicholas Daniel and members of the Chilingirian Quartet at King’s Place London on 5th October 2008. The work is a short lyrical piece where an outsider [the oboe] joins the group [a string trio] and adds to their dialogue. At first the newcomer is treated with a mixture of suspicion and agitation but eventually is made welcome. The oboe is invited to share the musical theme that has been established which he then proceeds to embellish and adorn. He leads the harmonic changes that result in the theme being heard in manydifferent keys. He then introduces a new theme. The excitement grows and leads to a climax. A peaceful coda re-establishes the original theme and all ends harmoniously among the integrated quartet.

On Gratitude Love And Madness-The six poems set here are all to be found in '100 Poems on the Underground'. For SATB (divisi) A Cappella.

Primavera is a short virtuosic work for Flute and Coloratura Soprano. It was written in 1971 and premiered by Dorothy Dorow at her concert at the Zagreb Festival of Contemporary Music. It takes its lyrics froma poem by the Peruvian poet Amalia Elguera with whom the composer collaborated on several projects including two operas. Thea Musgrave (b. 1928) is a Scottish-American composer. Over a career spanning more than60 years she has established herself as one of the leading contemporary composers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Sunrise was commissioned by Backshore Artists Project Inc. on the occasion of Carol Wincenc’s 40th anniversary on the concert stage and underwritten by a generous grant from Linda and Stuart Nelson.The work is dedicated to Carol Wincenc for this very special occasion.It starts slowly with the bass flute leading a dark dream-like section with a theme that is marked rubato seductive. The viola echoes this melody but ties to move it to another key. Eventually the tempo quickens as the harp adds a new theme which the others soon copy.A new section svegliato (awakening) follows where the harp and viola encourage the flute to join them in a sprightly scherzo whichgrows to a climax to herald the sunrise. Here the viola leads with a glowing theme. After the flute has echoed this melody the mood quietens and in a peaceful coda the flute ‘remembers’ the theme from the very opening: it is now bathed in sunlight and is marked luminous.

Canta Canta! is a slow and expressive piece for Clarinet Cello and Piano by Thea Musgrave. This short song is taken from Cantata for a Summer's Day written in 1954 while the composer was a student in Paris. This is the score only.

Thea Musgrave's Collect For The Birth Of John The Baptist for SATB and optional Organ accompaniment.Commissioned for The Cranmer Anthem Book and first performed on the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist 24 June 2018 by Wells Cathedral Choir conducted by Matthew Owens.Duration: 2 minutes

A work for Soprano Woodwind 2 Horns and Strings.Duration: circa 15 minutesProgramme Note: 'This work was commissioned as a possible companion piece to Mozart?s Exsultate Jubilate and the decision was quickly made to write something as a complete contrast. The poems chosen one anonymous from the early 16th century the other two by the famous Scottish poet William Dunbar [1460? 1513?] describe the promise of salvation after life?s dark passage. Each of the three poems echo this thought: ?In celum ther is joy with Thee? ?A short torment for infinite gladness? and ?Since erdly joy abides never Work for the joy thatlastès ever?. Thus in each poem the poet can overcome the fear of his inevitable death with the certainty of salvation: this work also has its ?dark? moments but the overall mood is one of calmness and peace. As with the words there are several musical motives that link the three songs. The musical motive for the refrain ?Terribilis mors conturbat me? in the first macaronic poem [also a salute to Mozart since the Exsultate is in Latin] returns a little higher and more despairingly in each verse until the last verse where it is played a whole octave higher. This motive reappears [played mostly by the oboes] in the last song but now the pitch of each repeat goes in reverse that is from high to low. The famous motive of the Gregorian chant Dies Irae [representing death] is used to accompany the prayer of the second song. A musical motive for the joy of Paradise appears in the second song ?A free choice given to Paradise or Hell?. There is also a ubiquitous 3-note chordal cluster which is used to illustrate the words: sometimes as a colour and

For Clarinet solo with wind quartet and string quartet. Score OnlyFirst performed by Michael Collins Clarinet London Winds and the Endellion String Quartet on 27th January 2011 at the Wigmore Hall London.Scoring:Solo ClarinetFluteOboeBassoonFrench Horn2 ViolinsViolaCelloDuration:circa 13 minutes'During a visit to the exhibition of Francis Bacon at the Tate Gallery in December 2008my eye fell on Figure in a Landscape 1945 which resonated in me powerfully. It is a sceneof devastation and despair and also it seemed to me of latent anger and hostility... butabove it all a serene blue sky beckons. So perhaps even in the darkest moments there is aglimmer of hope - the possibility of change.This idea became the starting point for this work - Towards the Blue - a mini concerto forclarinet who eventually becomes the leader of the group.The work starts without the clarinet and all is desolate yet fiercely argumentative discordant and uncomfortable. Suddenly the offstage clarinet is heard and the players insurprise are quietened. However when the clarinet enters and approaches with a lyricalmusical motif some of the players respond others resist. Gradually the clarinetpersuades the dissident voices to join him in a spirit of co-operation and harmony.A brief memory of the opening desolation casts a momentary shadow which is quicklydispelled by the coda marked Gioioso.'Thea Musgrave (May 13th 2010)Parts available for hire separately

Thea Musgrave's arrangement of the Anonymous 15th century text Adam Lay YBounden is scored for Children's Voices SATB Choir and Piano a performance of which lasts around 2 minutes.A review in the September 2016 issue of Organist's Review calls this 'a haunting setting...with a bell-like cascading descant' and that this 'characterful response to the words stands comparison with the well-known Ord and Ledger settings.'