The first song in the six-song cycle "Of Passion's Tide", performed by tenor Bud Roach and pianist Erika Reimer in the premiere of the tenor version. More info at http://www.jeffreyryan.com

Years ago, I read a review of a recording of Schumann songs by mezzo-soprano Brigitte Fassbaender. Several songs had texts in a "male voice", and the reviewer discussed at length the double standard that allows women to sing songs intended for male singers, while disapproving of the reverse. Furthermore, while men and women can sing about each other, and women can sing about women, there are few works in which men sing about men. "Of Passion's Tide" is my contribution to this scant repertoire.

The poems were written in the 1910s and '20s by C. P. Cavafy, used here in Rae Dalven's English translation from the original Greek. I selected these particular poems from Cavafy's collected works because they fell nicely into an umbrella storyline of an older man reflecting on a relationship from his youth. The first song, "Desires", expresses the importance of acting on one's feelings while one has the chance. In the second song, "The Next Table", he sees a young man at a café who reminds him of his past love. The next three songs chronicle that relationship from its rapturous beginning to its unavoidable ending. Finally, "Return" expresses his yearning to rediscover those sensations of his youth.

Of Passion's Tide 1: Desires

The third song in the six-song cycle "Of Passion's Tide", performed by tenor Bud Roach and pianist Erika Reimer in the premiere of the tenor version. More info at http://www.jeffreyryan.com

Years ago, I read a review of a recording of Schumann songs by mezzo-soprano Brigitte Fassbaender. Several songs had texts in a "male voice", and the reviewer discussed at length the double standard that allows women to sing songs intended for male singers, while disapproving of the reverse. Furthermore, while men and women can sing about each other, and women can sing about women, there are few works in which men sing about men. "Of Passion's Tide" is my contribution to this scant repertoire.

The poems were written in the 1910s and '20s by C. P. Cavafy, used here in Rae Dalven's English translation from the original Greek. I selected these particular poems from Cavafy's collected works because they fell nicely into an umbrella storyline of an older man reflecting on a relationship from his youth. The first song, "Desires", expresses the importance of acting on one's feelings while one has the chance. In the second song, "The Next Table", he sees a young man at a café who reminds him of his past love. The next three songs chronicle that relationship from its rapturous beginning to its unavoidable ending. Finally, "Return" expresses his yearning to rediscover those sensations of his youth.

Of Passion's Tide 3: At the Theater

For string ensemble or string orchestra. More info at http://www.jeffreyryan.com

Originally a work for unaccompanied choir, ecce homo was inspired by a medieval English stained glass window (part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art), depicting the Crucifixion. In keeping with this medieval source, the work is scored for eight voices, which echo and imitate each other to evoke the sound of a reverberant cathedral.

After the première of the choral version, an early music specialist colleague of mine approached me with the idea of performing the piece with a consort of eight recorders. In fact, the simplicity of the work's "neo-Medieval" style makes it appropriate for virtually any combination of like instruments.

The Latin title translates as "Behold the man" — the words spoken by Pilate as he turned Christ over to the crowd. This work speaks, intimately and introspectively, of the grief, suffering, and, ultimately, acceptance and release which we experience both individually and collectively throughout our lives. 

ecce homo (string ensemble)

Several short excerpts from the world premiere performance by the Tokyo Quartet. More info at http://www.jeffreyryan.com

The Latin inspirare means "to breathe into" and it is breath that has inspired this single-movement work for string quartet. A smooth relaxed breath, a quick breath, a soft gentle breath, a heavy sigh, a whispering breath, a held breath, a ragged breath, a determined breath, even the physical expansion and contraction of breathing--all have found expression in this piece.

The three major ensemble sections are framed by four extended solos, each with a different character and rooted in the pitch of a different open string. Beginning with the first violin, proceeding across the ensemble through second violin and violoncello, and closing with the viola, the spotlight is shone in turn on each member of the quartet, while the ensemble sections bring all four together in varied combinations.

String Quartet #4: Inspirare was commissioned by Jennifer Taylor and Music TORONTO for the Tokyo String Quartet.

String Quartet #4: Inspirare (excerpts)

Soprano Robyn Driedger-Klassen and flutist Brenda Fedoruk perform "Loons" (poem by David Fraser) at the Orpheum Annex in Vancouver, BC, Jan. 28, 2022, as part of Turning Point Ensemble's "Solo Flare" concert.

Perusal score and more at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/solo-vocal/loons/

Loons

Poetry by Suzanne Steele, Canada's war poet, who spent time with Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan witnessing and writing about her experiences. Commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and One Yellow Rabbit, and performed by the CPO with the CPO Chorus, Cantaré Children's Choir, soprano Zorana Sadiq, mezzo Rebecca Hass, tenor Benjamin Butterfield, and  baritone Tyler Duncan, conducted by Roberto Minczuk. More information on the piece at http://jeffreyryan.com/works/operaoratorio/afghanistan-requiem/  (Photo: Vicki McFadyen/Black Diamond Films Inc.)

Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation (excerpts)

Live performance presented by Vetta Chamber Music, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Find out more about this work at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/chamber-3-6-players/string-quartet-4-inspirare/

String Quartet #4: Inspirare

Live performance by the Gryphon Trio (Annalee Patipatanakoon, violin / Roman Borys, cello / Jamie Parker, piano). Find out more about ‘Chimera’ at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/chamber-3-6-players/chimera/

Chimera

‘Arbutus’ for tárogató and piano, performed by Jason Hall and Corey Hamm. Written to mark the 60th anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising and the subsequent establishment of the Sopron Division in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Learn more about this work at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/chamber-1-2-players/arbutus/

Arbutus

‘Elastic' is a short virtuosic work for solo French horn that plays with the elasticity of tempo and the listener's experience of musical space and time. In one continuous movement, its five parts alternate between senza misura ('without measure') sections in which time flows unevenly and melodic gestures speed up or slow down, and energetic fast-pulsed sections with irregular rhythmic patterns. After a series of gently rocking arpeggios, the work's final gesture scurries upward and disappears into nothingness. Find out more about this piece and download the sheet music for free at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/chamber-1-2-players/elastic/

Elastic

Live recording of the Spiritus Chamber Choir, conducted by Timothy Shanty, March 12, 2017, at the Bella Concert Hall in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Norma West Linder’s poem opens with its protagonist entering the garden of death, late in life, and uses plant symbolism to tell of past pain and future promise. Tulips, a symbol of courtship in many cultures, are closed; roses, a symbol of romantic love, have vanished. It is the birch tree, the symbol of renewal and rebirth, that reaches out in embrace. Musically, two related gestures—a sad yet comforting rocking, transforming into larger, joyous circular lines—serve as the building blocks of this setting for a cappella choir.

More information here: http://jeffreyryan.com/works/choral/valediction/

Valediction

The first song from the song cycle "First there was light" performed by mezzo Joanne Uniatowski and pianist Michael Borowitz. Poem by Barbara Goldowsky. Learn more at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/solo-vocal/first-there-was-light/

Los Alamos

The third song from the song cycle "First there was light" performed by mezzo Joanne Uniatowski. Poem by Barbara Goldowsky. Learn more at jeffreyryan.com/works/solo-vocal/…-there-was-light/

Morning Prayer

The fifth song from the song cycle "First there was light" performed by mezzo Joanne Uniatowski and pianist Michael Borowitz. Poem by Barbara Goldowsky. Learn more at jeffreyryan.com/works/solo-vocal/…-there-was-light/

Love Letter

Commissioned by Morningside Music Bridge. Live recording of the world premiere performance by the MMB String Orchestra conducted by Earl Lee, at the New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, August 3, 2019. John Abram, recording engineer.

"Drivetime" is a high-energy work inspired by the idea of travelling and the way that we perceive time when in motion. Learn more about it at https://jeffreyryan.com/works/string-orchestra/drivetime/

Drivetime

Composer of music for orchestras, choirs, chamber groups, opera companies... pushing notes around on the page is my specialty.

Jeffrey Ryan

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