Judith Weir

Holy Innocents is a work by Judith Weir for 2-part Soprano Chorus and Organ Accompaniment. This piece lasts around 3 and a half minutes. 'Judith Weir has composed a setting of ChristinaRossetti's poem Holy Innocents in which a continuous and flowing Organ part underpins two Soprano lines heard either in dialogue or unison. Composed for the 20th anniversary of the St. Albans Abbey Girls Choir it would besuitable for any type of children's choir.' - Geoffrey Webber Choir & Organ Magazine 

This work was commissioned by the Master and Fellows of St John’s College Cambridge to mark the 500th anniversary of the founding of the College. The Magnificat was first performed by Andrew Nethsingha and the Choir of St John’sCollege on 30th October 2011 and the Nunc Dimittis (as part of a complete performance) on 5th February 2012.

For Tenor (or Soprano) and Piano. Scotch Minstrelsy is a song cycle comprising settings of five Scottish ballads whose subject matter is almost exclusively violent happenings which take place against the beautiful background of the Scottish countryside. 'It was my intention to reflect this underlying irony in the way words are set to music.' (J.W.) First performed on 14 May 1982. Duration: c.12 minutes.

Work for Solo Soprano and Chamber Orchestra commissioned by Carnegie Hall. Text: Maya Angelou Toni Morrison and Clarissa Pinkola Estés. The piece was first performed by Jessye Norman and the Orchestra of St.Luke's conducted byDavid Robertson in Carnegie Hall New York on March 22 2000

This was originally written for soprano counter tenor and baritone soloists and chamber orchestra.This version scored for soprano counter tenor and piano was composed in 1997 for a concert given by Deborah York MichaelChance and Julius Drake at the Wigmore Hall.

For SATB Chorus and Trombone. Commissioned to celebrate the 800th Anniversary of the Unversity of Cambridge and first performed on St Cecilia's Day 2009 by The Choir of Gonville & Caius College with Matthew Knight (Trombone).

Libretto for the Opera in Two Acts. Scored for SATB Soli SATB Chorus and Orchestra. Commissioned by English national Opera with funds from the Arts Council. Text: Judith Weir after Ludwig Tieck.

Judith Weir's Heaven Ablaze In His Breast for SSAATTBB Chorus 2 Pianos and 8 Dancers. Text: The composer after The Sandman by E.T.A Hoffman.

With a libretto written by Weir herself based on the cryptic supernatural short story Der Blonde Eckbert by Ludwig Tieck. This one act pocket version of the opera makes use of a Chamber group rather thana full Orchestra and omits the chorus.'Eckbert and his wife Berthe live in seclusion in the Harz Moutains. One stormy night Eckbert's friend Walther arrives and to while away the time Berthe tells him her lifestory.Walther mysteriously knows a great deal about Berthe' s early life and Eckbert's suspicions grow eventually leading him to murder Walther during a hunting expediton.Consumed by terror and suspicion Eckbert retreats into seclusion and revisits the fairy-tale scenes of Berthe's childhood accompanied by a magical singing bird. He encounters the old woman who raised Berthe and at last learns the terrible truth about Walther Berthe and himself.' - Judith Weir

Judith Weir's Illuminare Jerusalem for SATB choir and Organ. This beautiful carol was written for the choir of King's College Cambridge. Watch them performing the piece:  

Judith Weir's The Cordwainers’ Song for mezzo-soprano baritone and piano accompaniment. This song is from a projected musical film created by director/writer Margaret Constantas. Onthe Wentloog Levels near Cardiff two artisan shoemakers husband and wife have fallen on hard times. Their lives are soon to be transformed by the appearance of a mysterious cow.

Little Tree consists of three short choral settings of poems by E.E.Cummings with a total duration of around 6 minutes. The first song Little tree is in three voices(SSA); the next movement I carry your heartwith me progresses into four voices; the final song now is a ship opens briefly with two solo voices but ends in 6 vocal parts. Accompanying all three pieces is a simple marimba part which acts as a continuoinstrument. In the opening movement it simply doubles the lowest vocal part; in the later pieces it provides a simple basis for the choral harmony. Judith Weir's wonderful vocal score for SSA and Marimba accompaniment. Idealfor children and female voiced choirs.