The Cold Song (2022) for orchestra
after an aria by Henry Purcell

Performed by the La Jolla Symphony, cond. Michael Gerdes, March 2023

As I began working on this composition, I was inspired by the aria “What Power Art Thou”—also known as the “Cold Song”—from Henry Purcell’s "King Arthur." In this scene from Purcell’s opera, the spirit of winter (the “Cold Genius”) is summoned to life. My composition freely transforms the shivering staccato motif and aspects of the harmonic progression from Purcell’s original, gradually building to an intense, chilling depiction of the Cold Genius. At the climax of my work, a quotation of Purcell’s original score momentarily appears, only to vanish again into the wintry landscape. Fittingly, I finished the piece on a late December night of subzero temperatures in central Illinois.

Note: This work is Movement II of "An Elemental Music" but can also be performed as a standalone composition.

Image: Klaus Nomi performing "What Power Art Thou"

The Cold Song (2022)

Excerpt from (Be)Longing for Symphonic Orchestra and Media: Frank Kameny

flex XVI (bend)

time is an impatient thing (2018) for Alto Flute, Viola, and Harp

Website: https://www.michaelfraziermusic.com/

time is an impatient thing (2018) for Alto Flute, Viola, and Harp

Michael Frazier Music

Related tracks