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Showing 1 - 25 of
67 matches in All Departments
for SSATB and solo violin This exciting work for choir and solo
violin draws its title from Edward Winslow's 1624 chronicles, Good
Newes from New England, in which he describes the Mayflower
Pilgrims' settlement in the New World. The first movement sets
William Bradford's account of the Pilgrims' arrival after their
long, perilous journey. McDowall cleverly uses tonality to
musically chart their voyage, with a gradually descending shift
through keys. Bookended by folk-like violin passages, the second
movement alludes to the Bay Psalm Book with its plain homophonic
style, and McDowall introduces occasional dissonance to intensify
the text's anguish. As its title, 'Thanksgiving', suggests, the
final movement brings a sense of joyful release, with the violin in
playful dialogue with the dance-like vocal lines. It closes with
Henry Ainsworth's version of 'The Old Hundredth', which was sung on
the Mayflower, and the audience is encouraged to join the choir in
singing this hymn.
for organ The initial marking 'Sparkling' is a good description of
this piece's effervescent Toccata-like figurations and striking
harmonies. The plainsong theme appears in longer note values either
in the pedal or at the top of the texture. Imaginative use of the
organ creates an exciting atmosphere as the piece reaches a
powerful conclusion.
for SATB, unison voices, and organ This celebratory anthem sets
Psalm 100 'O be joyful in the Lord' from the Book of Common Prayer
and uses organ flourishes, dancing vocal melodies, and lively
articulation to emphasize the exultant message of the text.
Jubilate Deo was commissioned by Saint Michael and All Angels
Episcopal Church, Dallas, Texas and was premiered at Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee concert in 2022.
for SSATB unaccompanied On the Air (Dear Vaccine) discusses the
optimism for a post-COVID world and, particularly, the desire to
sing together again. For the text, poet Sean Street drew
inspiration from 'Dear Vaccine', which is a global community poetry
project in which people are invited to share their thoughts and
hopes for the development of COVID-19 vaccines. McDowall has
emulated the hopefulness of the text through the energy of the
music and the use of both speaking and singing voices.
for SSATB unaccompanied A Gaelic Blessing was commissioned by the
University of Edinburgh, McDowall's alma mater, for performance by
the Edinburgh University Singers conducted by Calum Robertson. This
meditative, folk-style anthem is given a Scottish lilt through the
use of Scotch snap rhythms and held drone-like vocal lines. The
text is a traditional Scottish Gaelic blessing, translated by the
Right Reverend Ian Paton, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld, and
Dunblane. McDowall chose this text for the 'warmth and simplicity'
of the words that seem to 'resonate with the times in which we
live'.
for SSAATTBB unaccompanied Commissioned by Sonoro for the second
instalment of their Choral Inspirations project, McDowall has
composed Crucifixus Reimagined as a response to Lotti's Crucifixus
from Credo in F. Use of suspensions, decorated melodies, and
counterpoint feel reminiscent of Lotti's original work, while
retaining McDowall's distinctive contemporary style.
for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied Commissioned by King's
College, Cambridge, for the 2021 Festival of Nine Lessons and
Carols, Cecilia McDowall's setting of this well-known
fifteenth-century macaronic text is expressive and ethereal.
Employing the richness of her distinctive harmonic palette,
McDowall pairs upper and lower voices to great effect throughout,
contrasting polyphonic writing with moments of rhythmic unison. The
carol abounds in rise and fall of both melody and dynamic, before
drawing to a hushed, atmospheric close.
for SATB (with divisions) unaccompanied Characteristically sung on
Christmas Day, this Catholic chant depicts mystery and wonder at
the birth of Jesus, as witnessed by the animals. The second half of
the text relates to words spoken by Elizabeth, welcoming Mary into
her home. In McDowall's setting, deep, sonorous chords open and
close the piece, which has a sustained tempo that gives space for
the melismatic vocal lines and rich harmonies to take full effect.
O magnum mysterium is the first of McDowall's set of three 'O' text
settings conceived as Trinity Triptych.
for SSATB unaccompanied The O nata lux text is taken from a
10th-century anonymous hymn that uses the concept of light to
symbolise hope, a particularly pertinent theme for Advent.
Throughout this setting the sopranos intertwine their high, melodic
lines above interjections from the lower voices, creating an
atmosphere of ethereal luminosity. O nata lux is the second of
McDowall's set of three 'O' text settings conceived as Trinity
Triptych.
for SATB unaccompanied 'Traditionally sung on Christmas Eve, 'O
Virgo virginum' is often described as the eighth 'O' Antiphon and
praises Mary, 'O virgin of (amongst) virgins.' McDowall's setting
is vigorous and joyful, with intimations of medieval plainchant. O
Virgo virginum is the final movement of McDowall's set of three 'O'
text settings conceived as Trinity Triptych.
for SATB unaccompanied This uplifting anthem sets the Invocation
text from Carmina Gadelica. McDowall's beautiful melodies flow and
intertwine, decorated by scotch snaps that reflect the text's
origin. Suitable for services or concerts. Also published in Breath
of Song.
for SATB and organ This setting of the evocative poem by Chesterton
is atmospheric and powerful. Showcasing McDowall's distinctive
style, its minor tonality, subtle chromaticisms, and whole-tone
scales portray the contrasting voices in the text to breathtaking
effect.
for SATB and organ or piano A Prayer of St Columba is an expressive
and emotive anthem with appealing, arching melodies underpinned by
a sparkling organ part. Also available in a version for SAB and
organ or piano in The Oxford Book of Easy Flexible Anthems.
for SSATB unaccompanied. Composed for International Women's Day,
this mesmerising piece celebrates the centennary of Rosalind
Franklin and sets her own words with additional text by the poet
Sean Street. McDowall's tribute to this underappreciated chemist
and crystallographer combines intricate, intertwining melodies with
ethereal harmonies beautifully capturing Franklin's part in the
discovery of the double helix structure.
for SSAA, solo violin, and piano Everyday Wonders: The Girl from
Aleppo, here re-scored for upper voices, tells the extraordinary
story of Nujeen Mustafa, a Kurdish teenager with cerebral palsy
forced by war to flee her home and embark on an arduous journey to
Europe with her sister. In this five-movement cantata Nujeen's
story - recounted in her biography 'The Girl from Aleppo'
(co-authored by Christina Lamb) - is retold by Kevin
Crossley-Holland and richly scored by Cecilia McDowall. A wealth of
musical effects are employed to capture the narrative, including
chorales, rhythmic spoken sections, body percussion, and a solo
violin part infused with Middle Eastern flavours. The prevailing
mood of Nujeen's story is embodied by the final line of a chorale
that bookends this unique concert work: 'singing the song of life
itself.'
for SSATB unaccompanied Written to commemorate the centenary of the
foundation of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies, Brightest Star sets a powerful text by Sean
Street. The poem describes the call for assistance made by the
occupied Channel Islands in 1944 and the response of the Red Cross
ship, the Vega, which came to their aid, drawing parallels between
this story and the light and hope of the seasons of Christmas and
Epiphany. The bleak wartime conditions are portrayed by dissonant
harmony and downward sliding phrases, and extracts from the Bailiff
of Jersey's letter of appeal, sung by the lower voices, draw
attention to the gravity of the situation. In contrast, the upper
voices bring an ethereal quality to the texture, with closing
phrases that are suggestive of the traditional French carol Les
anges dans nos campagnes ('Angels, from the realms of glory').
for SATB and organ Written for the 2018 BBC Advent broadcast sung
by the choir of St John's College, Cambridge, A Prayer to St John
the Baptist sets an artfully crafted text that combines Guido
d'Arezzo's Ut queant laxis (itself a Hymn to John the Baptist, as
well as a medieval music-teaching mnemonic) with Thomas Merton's
poem on the same subject. The organ's flowing quavers represent
Merton's baptismal 'rivers of water', while the largely octatonic
melodies conjure a tellingly mysterious atmosphere.
for SSATB unaccompanied An atmospheric and expressive setting of
Caliban's dream from Shakespeare's The Tempest, this piece
transports the listener to a mysterious, dream-like place. McDowall
effectively employs melismas and ornaments to create a sense of the
other-worldly, and her rich, immersive harmonies perfectly
characterise the reverie Shakespeare's protagonist describes.
Everyday Wonders: The Girl from Aleppo tells the extraordinary
story of Nujeen Mustafa, a Kurdish teenager with cerebral palsy
forced by war to flee her home and embark on an arduous journey to
Europe with her sister. In this five-movement cantata Nujeen's
story - recounted in her biography 'The Girl from Aleppo'
(co-authored by Christina Lamb) - is retold by Kevin
Crossley-Holland and richly scored by Cecilia McDowall. A wealth of
musical effects are employed to capture the narrative, including
chorales, rhythmic spoken sections, body percussion, and a solo
violin part infused with Middle Eastern flavours. The prevailing
mood of Nujeen's story is embodied by the final line of a chorale
that bookends this unique concert work: 'singing the song of life
itself.'
O Antiphon Sequence was conceived as a recital piece, although each
of its individual movements would also work in a liturgical
context. Each movement is a response to a short extract of
liturgical text taken from the 'O Antiphons', which are the
Magnificat antiphons used at Vespers during the last seven days of
Advent in Western Christian traditions. The work was commissioned
by the American Guild of Organists for performance at the 2018 AGO
National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
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