Music by Jools Scott
Libretto compiled by Sue Curtis
Based on poems by Robert Graves

Conducted by Robin O'Neill
Soprano - Charlotte Ashley
Sung by Philharmonia Voices

"December’s come and all is dead;
Weep, woods, for summer far has sped
And leaves rot in the valley bed.

Grey-blue and gaunt the oak-boughs spread
Mourn through a mist their leafage shed.
December, season of the dead!

Brown-golden, scarlet, orange-red
Autumn’s bright hues are faded, fled.
December, season of the dead!"

'Lament In December' from The Cool Web, by Jools Scott & Sue Curtis

Oh The Broom (Whistle)

Nocturne (2014)
for orchestra

3222 / 4331 / timp / 2 perc / hp / strings
or 3333 / 4331 / timp / 2 perc / hp / piano (celesta) / strings

Nocturne for orchestra (2014)

3 sweet old gals, 3 dirty harmonies, 3 stomping strings and a hell of a good old-time good time!

Brand new project from Nuala Honan (guitar), Glowglobes' Laura Pocket (double bass) and Claire Northey (violin)

Cheating Heart

für Mezzosopran und Streichquartet

Performed live by 
Barbara Höfling (Mezzo Soprano)
Prof Jutta Rübenacker (Violin 1)
Viola Mönkemeier (Violin 2)
Peter Meier (Viola)
Carsten Jaspert (Cello)

1. Psalm 103: 1-2; 10-13

Written especially for cellist Keith Tempest, Oligos comes from being in a place that is neither here nor there, an 'almost' period of restless waiting to transition to a new place that is strongly desired. The piece encapsulates the emotional journey experienced while being in this 'almost' place; the plaintive phrases of the cello moving into a more expressive melody at the beginning attempt to express the feeling of melancholy and sadness experienced when stuck in this place of no direction.

As the piece moves on, the desire and painful longing for the soon coming new place is expressed through a restless rising cello line followed by an impassioned climax, supported by anguished chords in the piano. This theme returns later on in the piece but in a higher register for the cello, expressing a heightened sense of desperation, inner conflict and longing.

The piece ends with a final cry from the cello and ends on an unresolving D against the piano's C Minor chord, both instruments fading away into nothing as one resolves to wait in this 'neither here nor there' place a little longer, until it is time to move on.

The word 'Oligos' in Ancient Greek means 'almost'.

Performed by Keith Tempest (cello) and Barbara Murray (piano)

Watch the second performance on this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8I4rPu_aj4

Oligos (For cello and piano)

Recorded in Bunker Studios, Brooklyn, December 2016. Engineered and mixed by Aaron Nevezie. Mastered by Alex DeTurk. Produced by Ben Allison.

Cornet: Kirk Knufke
Saxophones: Michael Blake
Guitar: Steve Cardenas
Bass: Greg Cordez
Drums: Allison Miller

Junebug

Hear Sue Curtis, librettist of The Cool Web: A Robert Graves Oratorio, read Robert Graves' poem, The Cool Web

Francis Church's Album

The Cool Web by Robert Graves       Narrated by Sue Curtis

It was a hard decision to choose 1 track from the Bird Noire EP to upload as a preview, but here it is. We very proudly present the absolutely magnificent Circles, which will be released 11.01.18 alongside 4 other incredible original pieces from the UK based duo @bird-noire.  

Listen on Spotify - open.spotify.com/album/0u0zAhGf01xBRtYWIuT15O

The release will be followed up by a diverse selection of cutting edge remixes from Padre, Quatri, Just Her, Arude, Felix Wittich and Sam Goku.

Artwork by Katie Holloway

Bird Noire - Circles

First piece using Steinberg Iconica Section & Players software.  Original sequence was written over 30 years ago by a good friend albeit I have heavily altered the timing.

No Wisdom In War

I am a composer from Bath, UK.

'Vice' the musical, written with long-term collaborator and librettist, Sue Curtis, is a Jacobean revenge play using period language to juxtapose with a wild jazz/classical score. More info at http://www.joolsscott.co.uk

'The Cool Web : A Robert Graves Oratorio' is a brand new First World War commemoration piece for SSAATTBB choir, baritone soloist and 17 piece chamber ensemble based on texts from Robert Graves' poems, some First World War poems, some from before and after the 1914 War. This WW1 Centernary oratorio follows the experiences and creative reaction of one of the great English poets, subjected to the horrors of the 'first modern war'. 

Christmas album: http://www.thegoldeneggs.co.uk

'Lament In December' from The Cool Web, by Jools Scott & Sue Curtis

joolsscott

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