Recorded on 11/11/13 in St Patrick's Cathedral at Evensong. Sung by the Gentlemen of the choir. Cantor: Eoghan Desmond. Composed April 2006.

Fauxbourdon Magnificat

These pieces were composed between 2010 and 2014, and draw on a vast number of sources, influences and musical styles, mashing them together with little or no respect for composers, movements or tunes. It is rarely done to make any kind of observation or comment on the character of any of the composers referred to over the course of the work, except the composer of this work, and his crude and clumsy sense of humour. In particular, I would like to make it clear that the rather stunted Viola part in the second piece is no commentary on Mr Sebastian Adams (though I have used his name for the material) but rather a commentary on certain comments made about him, of which he is aware and which he takes in his usual good humour. The remaining pieces have even less meaning to them, their titles growing ever more fanciful and disconnected from reality depending on what time of the morning they were completed.

"most memorable... witty whimsy" – Michael Dervan, Irish Times. 

Flights of Fancie and Sundries on divers fubjectf for String Quartet

Vain Prayer, choreographic poem for orchestra

Performers:
BBC Symphony Orchestra 
Pierre-André Valade, conductor

‘…how can that be wealth of which a man may have a great abundance and yet perish with hunger, like Midas in the fable, whose vain prayer turned everything that was set before him into gold?’

Aristotle: Politics (Book 1, Part IX)

Formed of two tableaux, Vain Prayer is a choreographic poem for orchestra after the Midas myth, the Greek legend of a King granted the wish that everything he might touch turn to gold. In particular, I’ve long-loved Nathaniel Hawthorne’s version, wherein Midas’ blinding and unquenchable thirst for ‘that precious metal’ leads, through fateful embrace, to his daughter’s transformation into a golden statue. His greatest sorrow and loss comes ‘in the fullness of all his gratified desires’, made more resonant by ‘the questioning look of love, grief, and pity, hardened into her face…the prettiest and most woeful sight that ever mortal saw.’

Vain Prayer was written as part of a Sound and Music/BBC Symphony Orchestra 'Embedded' Composer Residency, and was premiered at Maida Vale studios on the 24th March 2016. 


Vain Prayer, for orchestra

Pushing Air (for RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gavin Maloney)

Ritornelli (2016)

Composed by Irish composer Michael McGlynn (Anúna), performed by 4 in a Bar in concert at St. Michael's Church, Enniskillen on December 30th 2016. 
With thanks to Paul Flynn (Cavan Singers)

O Pia Virgo

A recording of the Hertford College Chapel choir singing Vaughan-Williams's setting of an extract from Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's progress', in the first service of Trinity term 2017.

Valiant-for-truth - Vaughan-Williams

Demo purposes for #gonzervatory use. Proper mastered track coming soon! 

Written about a deserted city called Pripyat.

Pripyat V1

Lara Marie Müller - soprano
Dylan Perez - piano

The first of the three fables by André Caplet

Caplet - Le Corbeau et le renard (Trois Fables de jean de la Fontaine)

Jachet Auf (Ft. Chiff'n'Bip, Louis' X & B3d Chunda)

Contemporary Classical composer from Dublin, Ireland. Contact eoghand14@gmail.com for scores. 

Fauxbourdon Magnificat

Eoghan_Desmond