Author Archives: barnaby.priest@gmail.com

Westron Wynde (2015)

At the moment, I am working on a piece for orchestra based on a 16th century song called Westron Wynde. This secular melody was used by a number of English composers as the basis for settings of the mass, most notably John Tavener, Christopher Tye and  John Sheppard. These composers use modified versions of the Westron Wynde tune as the basis for each of the movements of the mass.

In the extract uploaded here, I use the opening phrase of the tune as the basis for the music and to create the melodic arc and shape.

The orchestration is as follows: 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, organ, harp and strings

I would very much like to receive feedback on your thoughts about the music. Please use the comment box below to let me know what you think.

On Time

On Time was written originally for a small four part choir using a text by John Milton. This arrangement, for string quartet, was written for inclusion in the SIKKA 2014 Art Week. The music closely follows the rhythmic structure of the original text.

Live performance at the XVA Gallery in Dubai (8th February 2014).

Anne Mouslmani & Natalie Oughourlian, violins,
Imogen Lillywhite, viola,
Helene Charleaux, violoncello

 

Text: John Milton

Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race,
Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,
Whose speed is but the heavy Plummets pace;
And glut thy self with what thy womb devours,
Which is no more than what is false and vain,
And meerly mortal dross;
So little is our loss,
So little is thy gain.
For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb’d,
And last of all, thy greedy self consum’d,
Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss
With an individual kiss;
And Joy shall overtake us as a flood,
When every thing that is sincerely good
And perfectly divine,
With Truth, and Peace, and Love shall ever shine
About the supreme Throne
Of him, t’whose happy-making sight alone,
When once our heav’nly-guided soul shall clime,
Then all this Earthy grosnes quit,
Attir’d with Stars, we shall for ever sit,
Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee O Time.

Worldes Blis (2005)

Based on a mediaeval song of the same name, Worldes Blis combines elements of minimalist techniques with the original melody to form a single movement phantasy.

Performed and recorded at The Fridge, Dubai (February, 2010)

Violins: Anna Pavlova, Haruka Horii

Viola: Francesca Knowles

Violoncello: Aaron DH Kim

Chamber Music

Slant of Light – Violin, Viola, Violoncello, Pianoforte

Worldes Blis – String Quartet

At Last They Rest – String Quartet

Ombreggiatura – Version for String Quartet

Quartet for Saxophones – Saxophone Quartet

Movements and Canons – Brass Quintet

Canzona – Vidimus Stellam – Brass Quintet

Canzona – Vidimus Stellam – String Quintet

Duos

Final Touches – Two harps

Final Touches – Two marimbas

When the horizon fades – Two clarinets

Sikka – two clarinets

due aforismi – Flute & Pianoforte

due aforismi – Flute & Harp

A Concert Overture – Pianoforte (4 hands)

The King of Spain’s Daughter – Guitar & Pianoforte

Stille – Clarinet & Pianoforte

A Clarinet Album – Two Clarinets

3 Love songs from a Garden – Alto Sax, Tape, Pianoforte

’tis like the distance – Violoncello & Pianoforte

The Landscape Listens – Viola & Pianoforte

Dorian – Violin & Pianoforte (with obbligato Clarinet)

Three Places in France – Violin & Pianoforte

Two for St Cecilia -Two Oboes

Recorder / Electronics – Recorder & Electronics

A Lovely Time – Clarinet & Percussion

Pianoforte

33 variations on a theme by Beethoven

… some become stars …

… others remain nights …

Up

Final Touches

Moving On

Ombreggiatura in monocolore

Sculptu

November Song

Habanera

Simple Melody

Eight Easy Pieces

Flute
Trotz der Verspätung
For Monique

Violin
Largo

Violoncello
Elegy

French Horn
Parrish Blue

Organ
Landscape III

Withersfield Toccata

Harp
Mangrove (with tape)

Guitar
Mangrove (with tape)