At
the Fishing Hole
|
words:
Piuvkaq music:
Oliver Barton |
Three songs to words by the Netsilik Innuit Piuvkaq, in which he
tells us that he's not very good at writing songs, fishing and hunting.
The third ideally requires the singer to use a thunder device, but
maybe it's optional.
| • |
I
Stood Jigging |
| • |
A
Bit of a Song |
| • |
An
Awkward Song |
| |
|
| Forces:
|
Mezzo-soprano
and piano |
| Duration: |
about
6'30" |
Free
download of the entire piece: PDF
|
Beauty
|
words:
Emerson music:
Oliver Barton |
A setting of Ralph Waldo Emerson's definition of beauty!
| Forces:
|
Mezzo-soprano
and piano |
| Duration: |
about
3'25" |
Free
download of the entire piece: PDF
|
The
Immortals
|
words:
Fiona MacLeod music:
Oliver Barton |
"I saw the weaver of dreams, an immortal shape of star-eyed
Silence; and the Weaver of Death, a lovely Dusk with a heart of
hidden flame. I knew not, knew not which was more fair: for Death
seemed to me as Love, and in the eyes of Dream, I saw Joy. Oh come,
come to me, Weaver of Dreams! Come, come unto me, O lovely Dusk,
thou that hast the heart of hidden Flame."
| Forces:
|
Soprano
and piano |
| Duration: |
about
2'45" |
Free
download of the entire piece: PDF
|
In
the Pond
|
words
& music: Oliver Barton |
The internal drama of a garden pond, with newts, newtpole and snail,
including the absolutely true eye-witness account of a Dreadful
Experience by the smaller newt.
| Forces:
|
Mezzo-soprano
and piano |
| Duration: |
about
2'15" |
Free
download of the entire piece:
PDF
|
A
Newt
|
words
& music: Oliver Barton |
I had a dream, in which I was being swept along a river. A huge
banner hung between trees across the river, saying in big letters:
"A newt is not another cat." I knew, for sure, that this
was of the most profound significance. So I set it to music. The
singer is meant to accompany herself or himself.
| Forces:
|
Singing
pianist or pianising singer |
| Duration: |
about
2'15" |
Free
download of the entire piece:
PDF
|
Small
Furry Beasties
|
words
& music: Oliver Barton |
My wife said she was sure that Poulenc wrote a song about a mouse
that might or might not be part of his Bestière, but had
never been able to track it down, so I wrote one for her, except
that it turned into seven of them:
| • |
The
Shrew (Sorex araneus) |
| • |
The
Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) |
| • |
The
Pygmy Shrew (Sorex minulus) |
| • |
The
Water Vole (Arvicola amphibius) |
| • |
The
Rat (Rattus rattus) |
| • |
The
House Mouse (Mus musculus) |
| • |
The
Edible Dormouse (Glis glis) |
We
have since found a copy of Poulenc’s song, and very nice it
is too.
| Forces:
|
Medium
voice and piano |
| Duration: |
about
9 minutes |
Free
download of the entire piece:
PDF
|
|
