TWO DOWSON POEMS (2021 - 24)

CELESTIAL OBJECTS (2016/2025)

"The Land Of Silence" was commissioned by and is dedicated to Kimberley Lynch & Adrian Foster, who gave the work its first performance on 30 May 2021 in a concert broadcast from the majestic church of Saints-Anges Gardiens de Lachine in Montréal, Canada. 

The work is a setting for amplified soprano, live electronics & organ of the 1896 poem 'Beata Solitudo' by Ernest Dowson (1867 - 1900).

Beata Solitudo

What land of Silence,
   Where pale stars shine
On apple-blossom
   And dew-drenched vine,
   Is yours and mine?

The silent valley
   That we will find,
Where all the voices
   Of humankind
   Are left behind.

There all forgetting,
   Forgotten quite,
We will repose us,
   With our delight
   Hid out of sight.

The world forsaken,
   And out of mind
Honour and labour,
   We shall not find
   The stars unkind.

And men shall travail,
   And laugh and weep;
But we have vistas
   Of gods asleep,
   With dreams as deep.

A land of Silence,
   Where pale stars shine
On apple-blossoms
   And dew-drenched vine,
   Be yours and mine!

THE LAND OF SILENCE (2021)

A ceremonial meditation for organ. Music published by Firehead Organ Works.

LITANIC PROCESSION (2021)

Organ + fixed media electronics piece incorporating vocal and pipe organ sampled sounds with heavy distortion.

OGRAL (2022-3)

Solo organ piece conceived for large spaces with generous acoustics. The main body of music is built from broad, majestic chordal 'mantras' and has a richly ceremonial, ritualistic and vaguely martial feel. It was premièred at Ripon Cathedral, England, in September 2023.

The piece also exists in an alternative transposed version with fixed media electronics.

OMEGA (2023)

Piece for organ and fixed media electronics. The first performance was given by Vladimir Magalashvili in his concert 'Organ . Light . Percussion . Electronics' on 26 May, 2024 at the Kirche Zum Guten Hirten, Berlin-Friedenau. 

A majestically broad cycle of chordal 'mantras' propels the main body of the music, with visceral synth tones weaving in and out of the organ texture.

OMEGA (organ + electronics) (2023)

THE SONORITY CABINET VII
The 'MAGIC CABINET'

Michael Bonaventure, organ/piano
Grote Kerk, Oosthuizen, The Netherlands
September 28, 2023

The MUIZ Collective (Michael Bonaventure & Luiz Henrique Yudo) this year presented the seventh edition of THE SONORITY CABINET, 'The MAGIC CABINET', once again in the magnificent Grote Kerk in Oosthuizen, The Netherlands, with its magickal late 14th Century organ and fine, glowing acoustic. The programme was a musical journey through the realms of magic, imaginary worlds, illusion, spells, sacred geometry, mysterious codes, folk magic and mythical creatures. There were new compositions for organ, piano & electronics by Michael Bonaventure, Luiz Henrique Yudo and guest composers Huw Morgan (UK), Lauren Redhead (UK) and Adrian Foster (Canada). Complementing these works was music by Guillaume de Machaut, anonymous 14th & 16th Century pieces and a Traditional Scottish melody arranged for the organ. 

Playlist:
00:03 - Huw Morgan - from Book Of Spells (2023): no. 4 (for love) *  
05:08 - Lauren Redhead - Curse tablets (2022)    
11:58 -  Huw Morgan - from Book Of Spells: no. 3 (for immortality) *   
15:00 - Attr. Thomas Preston (1542-63) - Uppon La, Mi, Re   
18:02 - Guillaume de Machaut - Ma fin est mon commencement    
19:38 - Huw Morgan - from Book Of Spells: nr. 5 (for protection) *    
25:24 - Anon. c. 1320 Robertsbridge Codex - Estampie I    
27:16 -  Michael Bonaventure - NUMEN (2023) *    
35:51 - Trad. Scottish - The Magic Glen    
41:10 -  Luiz Henrique Yudo - ESCHER'S RELATIVITY I    *    
43:57 - Luiz Henrique Yudo - ESCHER'S RELATIVITY II   *    
48:04 - Luiz Henrique Yudo - ESCHER'S RELATIVITY III. *   
52:22 - Luiz Henrique Yudo - ESCHER'S RELATIVITY IV. *   
1:02:08 - Adrian Foster - V.I.T.R.I.O.L. (2023) *   
1:08:57 - Anon. ca. 1320 Robertsbridge Codex - Estampie 'Retrové'

* world première performance

THE SONORITY CABINET VII - The MAGIC CABINET (2023)

PATHWAYS (2023) was written for Richard Craig with funds from Creative Scotland as part of the launch of our flutes, electronics & organ duo 'PNEUMA' and first performed by Richard and myself at a Scottish Arts Club concert in Edinburgh in May 2023, and subsequently at the Sound Festival that year in Aberdeen. This recording was made for us by Moray Rumney in August 2025 at Barclay Viewforth Church, Edinburgh.

The 'psycho-geographic' inspiration behind the piece came from the beautiful and atmospheric Roslin Glen just south of Edinburgh city, which, with its ancient woodland and divers tracks and pathways running through and around it, lies adjacent to Roslin Castle and the Rosslyn Chapel. Live flutes - piccolo, c flute & bass flute - and pipe organ combine or alternate with patches of fixed media electronic sound. The electronic sounds have two distinct identities: 1) an atmospheric mélange of sliding chromatic figures derived from samples of Richard playing the bass flute, heard at various transpositions and tempi, and 2) lively scalar synthesiser loops that generate a fluorescent wall of sound. The piece lasts just under 16' and consists of multiple sections of music that were originally designed to be played in any order but which have now been formed into a fixed structure.

PATHWAYS (2023) (with Richard Craig, flutes)

Originally heard as a solo electronic 'work in progress' at a Scottish Arts Trust concert in May 2023, "Celestial Objects II" was re-drafted and finalised with a significant organ part made for Lauren Redhead & Alistair Zaldua to perform in a concert during their residency at the 2023 Festival Registri in Venice. Here is their performance on 27 October 2023 featuring the 1745 Nachini organ in the Chiesa Isola di San Servolo.

The electronic part is punctuated by a 'phaser choir' singing short sequences of chords around a powerful 64' reed drone, over which the organ delivers slow-spreading clusters of light.

The piece has been performed many times subsequently in Europe and the UK by other artists and was broadcast on Spanish National Radio in December 2024.

https://laurenredhead.eu/post/Festival-Registri-2023-residency
https://www.rtve.es/play/audios/tercera-via/intersecciones-031224/16356431/

CELESTIAL OBJECTS II (2023) (Live performance Lauren Redhead & Alistair Zaldua)

CHAINS (2024)

A recording of Vladimir Magalashvili's recent performance at Alt-Pankow Kirche, Berlin, on April 20 this year from his 'Organ.Percussion.Light.Electronics' project.

CELESTIAL OBJECTS II (Live performance Vladimir Magalashvili, Alt-Pankow, Berlin)

THE SONORITY CABINET VIII: a collection of strange, rare and unusual pieces of music from ancient and contemporary times, brought together as a 'cabinet of curiosities', often mixing the glorious sound of Oosthuizen's historic organ with new, electronic textures. 
Our previous editions include the Mass (2013), Gothic (2014), Fun (2016), Love (2017), Dream (2018), Time (2019) and Magic (2023). 
Michael Bonaventure (1962, Edinburgh) is an organist and composer whose passion lies in unusual and experimental music and the blending of organ with electronic sounds. 
In this year's edition, The SECRET CABINET, Michael performs works by Erik Satie, Loo(p)cy (aka Lucia Caiazza), Adrian Foster, Frédéric Inigo, Geoffrey King, Luiz Henrique Yudo, as well as his own music and a selection of pieces from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

THE SONORITY CABINET VIII - The SECRET CABINET 
Live recording 
Grote Kerk, Oosthuizen, Netherlands
10 October 2024

Michael Bonaventure, organ & electronics

1. Modéré (1893) - Erik Satie
2. The Secret Cave (2024) - Loo(p)cy (aka Lucia Caiazza)
3. Worster Braules - Thomas Tomkins
4. Barafostus' Dreame - Anonymous
5. V.I.T.R.I.O.L. (2023)  - Adrian Foster
6. Dr. Bull's Myselfe - John Bull
7. Dr. Bull's Juell - John Bull
8. Nowell's Galliard - Anonymous
9. Centon, set (2001) - Frédéric Inigo
10. Organ Postlude-Recessional (2024, première) - Geoffrey King
11. Encounters (2016) - Michael Bonaventure
12. Air de l'ordre (1892) - Erik Satie
13. Path Of Secrets (2020) - Michael Bonaventure & Loo(p)cy
14. ON WORDS: Q (2001) - Luiz Henrique Yudo
15. Felix Namque - Anonymous c. 1450
16. ORACLE (2024, première) - Luiz Henrique Yudo/Michael Bonaventure
17. Estampie (2024) - Huw Morgan



= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

THE SONORITY CABINET VIII - The SECRET CABINET (Live, Oosthuizen, Netherlands, October 2024)

ORACLE (2024) for organ & electronics
by Luiz Henrique Yudo & Michael Bonaventure

'ORACLE' came about because Luiz and I decided to create together something that has a certain 'out there' vibe and to make both oblique and direct references to topical issues. The organ part that Luiz made is based entirely on the binary coding system and follows a path of ascension while my tape part illustrates another, perhaps, contrary path...

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SONORITY CABINET VIII - the SECRET CABINET
Grote Kerk, Oosthuizen, The Netherlands
10 OCT 2024 (world première)

Michael Bonaventure, organ & electronics

ORACLE (2024) (Yudo & Bonaventure)

A live performance of Set XI of my Preludes, Interludes & Postludes for organ, given at the Orgelpark, Amsterdam, on 16 November 2024 as part of the concert 'Until Now', presented by video maker Thomas Mohr, bassist Dario Calderone and myself.

PRELUDES, INTERLUDES & POSTLUDE SET XI (live performance, Orgelpark, Amsterdam 16.11.24)

OUR YESTER DAYS (2024)
for amplified soprano, live electronics & organ

A recording made in September 2024 at the Ascension of Our Lord Church, Westmount, Québec, Canada by the dedicatees of this work, Kimberley Lynch (soprano/live electronics) & Adrian Foster (organ) who gave the first performance on 25 July at the Church of St. Andrew & St. Paul, Montréal. The work is a setting of Ernest Dowson's "In Tempore Senectutis" and makes use of various echo & voice duplication effects to convey its moods of dreamy, joyous remembrance and reflection on lost youth, resignation and departure.

Recording © Adrian Foster 2024
Image of Kimberley Lynch © Joel Peters 2024

OUR YESTER DAYS (2024)

Composed for Huw Morgan's "Mainly Slow Organ Music" project in Bristol UK and first performed by him in March 2024.

"DISSENTERS" album available on Bandcamp -
https://michaelbonaventure.bandcamp.com/album/dissenters

DISSENTERS - part 2: THE PROJECT (2023/25)

Composed for Huw Morgan's "Mainly Slow Organ Music" project in Bristol UK and first performed by him in March 2024.

DISSENTERS - part 1:THE STATION (2023)

Performance given by Huw Morgan on 5 October 2024 in "mainly slow organ music" #35, St. John-on-the-Wall, Bristol, UK.

CELESTIAL OBJECTS II (Mainly Slow Organ Music, Bristol, October 2024)

THE SONORITY CABINET IX: a collection of strange, rare and unusual pieces of music from ancient and contemporary times, brought together as a 'cabinet of curiosities', often mixing the glorious sound of Oosthuizen's historic organ with new, electronic textures.
Previous editions include the Mass (2013), Gothic (2014), Fun (2016), Love (2017), Dream (2018), Time (2019), Magic (2023) and Secret (2024).
Michael Bonaventure (1962, Edinburgh) is an organist and composer whose passion lies in unusual and experimental music and the blending of organ with electronic sounds. He performs new compositions for organ and/or electronics by himself & Luiz Henrique Yudo, the founders of this project, and also by American composer Frederick Frahm, the British composer Geoffrey King and the Spanish composer Javier Ruiz, plus works from the Buxheimer Orgelbuch, Pablo Bruna, J. P. Sweelinck & the Beatles. 

The video artist, Thomas Mohr, presented a new work specially created for this event.



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THE SONORITY CABINET IX - The SKY CABINET (2025)
Live recording
Grote Kerk, Oosthuizen, The Netherlands
25 SEP 2025



Michael Bonaventure, organ & electronics 




1. Praeludium (Ionian, F-major) - J. Pz. SWEELINCK (1561-1621)

2. Wegener's Continental Drift (2024) - Javier RUIZ (b. 1965) 

3. Die Süss Nachtigall - Anonymous (Buxheimer Orgelbuch ca. 1470) 

4. Prelude (2025 - première) - Geoffrey KING (b. 1949) 

5. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (1967) - John Lennon/Paul McCartney 

6. Celestial Objects II (2023) - Michael BONAVENTURE (b. 1962) 

7. Stille Nacht (1818) - Franz Xaver GRUBER (1787-1863) 

8. FIRMAMENT (2025 - première) I, II, III, IV - Luiz Henrique YUDO (b. 1962) 

9. Dr. Bull's Myselfe (Gigge) - John BULL (1562-1628) 

10. Tiento Primo Tono - Pablo BRUNA (1611-1679) 

11. The Mysteries of the Horizon (2025 - première) - Frederick FRAHM (b. 1964)







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THE SONORITY CABINET IX: The SKY CABINET (Live, Oosthuizen, Netherlands, September 2025)

Final solo organ movement of my 'Celestial Objects' cycle of pieces. This is a recording of its first performance, which I gave at a recital on the mighty Harrison organ of St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, UK on 2 October 2025.

CELESTIAL OBJECTS III (2025)

An adaptation of my "Celestial Objects III", in a higher transposition and tempo, and with some new material. A further, grander version of this piece, "Nexus Magnus", in a lower transposition and tempo, is also available.

NEXUS (2025)

Recorded live performance on 24 October 2015, Orgel-Mixturen Festival, Kunst-Station Sankt Peter, Cologne.

EXIT (live performance, October 2015, Cologne)

'Elevation' music created for Automatronic's 'Vespers with music for organ & electronics', commissioned by St. Laurence Church, Catford, London, and performed by Lauren Redhead on 22 November, 2015.

DIVINE RADIATION (2015)

'Arc of divine cacophony'. Premiered on 21 September 2016 by Automatronic at the Hexham Abbey Festival of Music & Arts. Subsequently performed at the Canterbury Festival 2016, North York Moors Chamber Music Festival 2017, St. James United Church Montréal 2019, Ypres Cathedral 2019 and broadcast a number of times on Resonance.fm (UK), Radio Onda Rossa (Italy) and Concertzender (NL).

CELESTIAL OBJECTS (2016)

Piece for solo carillon, premiered here by Neil Thornock in his recital at Brigham Young University's Centennial Carillon Bell Tower, 2016, Provo, Utah, October 4, 2016.

Castellations

CASTELLATIONS (2015)(Live performance by Neil Thornock, October 2016)

POSTLUDE V (2017)

Scored for Clarinet in Eb, Bass Flute, Oboe, Tenor Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone & Piano.

The first performance was given by London-based contemporary music group Sounds Positive, conducted by David Sutton-Anderson, at The Warehouse, London, on 29 May 2011.

ARIA (2008)

An electro-acoustic transformation of John Dowland's "Flow, my tears", premiered in the MuizManz concert Sonority Cabinet IV: The LOVE CABINET, 28 September 2017, Grote Kerk, Oosthuizen, Netherlands. The UK premiere was given by Lauren Redhead & Alistair Zaldua in the Canterbury Festival of 2018.

LOVE TRANSFORMED (2017)

INTERLUDE VIII (2017)

‘SPELLSHAPER’, for electronic soundtrack and any improvising instrument. 

James Fulkerson created the trombone part specially for this performance, using amplification, reverb and delay. The electronic part makes use of sampled metallic wind chimes, woven into expansive loops.
The cyclic rates of these loops gradually divide and multiply, generating an ocean of time-currents and tonalities beneath the extended, overlapping trombone notes.

THE SONORITY CABINET VI - The TIME CABINET
15 August 2019
Grote Kerk, Oosthuizen, Netherlands.

SPELLSHAPER (2019, with James Fulkerson, trombone - live recording of première)

Solo organ piece performed by the composer on the Anneessens organ of St. Martin's Cathedral, Ypres, Belgium in a concert given on 4 October 2019.

DRAGON (2011)(Performance at Ypres Cathedral, Belgium, October 2019)

POSTLUDE V (Live recording of premiere, St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, 13 February 2020)

Musician based in Edinburgh & Amsterdam. 
https://eighthtowerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/in-tenebris-ratione-organi
https://cantimagnetici.bandcamp.com/album/darenth
www.FireheadEditions.com
https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/composer/michael-bonaventure 
www.scottishmusiccentre.com/michael-bonaventure

Michael Bonaventure

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