Live recordings from the Workers Union Ensemble performance at the Birmingham Conservatoire; 29th October 2014. Part of the 'Constructing a Repertoire' tour.

Chaconne: Daniel Saleeb

J S Bach His Kaleidoscope

Conductor . James Weeks
6 voices . EXAUDI

...par fumée... is a re-imagining of 14th century rondeau ‘Fumeux fume’ by Solage, in which smoke and smoking is a recurrent theme. I derived my pitches from the harmonic series of D, creating subtle microtonal harmonies and melodies. Like the original, the singing dissolves into hazy colours and elusive harmonies all within a very low register. Additionally the score follows the tradition of Ars Subtilior repertoire, with flowing rhythms and colourful notes.
__________________________

Fumeux fume par fumée
Fumeuse spéculation

Qu'antre fumet sa pensée
Tant qu'il ait son entencion

Fumeux fume par fumée
Fumeuse spéculation
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TRANSLATION

A smoker smolders smokily
In smoky speculation

Thus he steeps his thoughts in smoke
Until he gets his way

A smoker smolders smokily
In smoky speculation
__________________________
(Photography: Thomas Fournil)

...par fumée... for 6 voices (live performance)

Modus Triplex explores the rich, resonant sonorities that are available on three cellos, especially when playing multiple strings at once. Three pairs of strings that can be double stopped (CG, GD and DA) and the three cellos in Tre Voci meant that number 3 was a natural starting point for a simple number row (111223), from which the entire piece was constructed. 

Modus Triplex has been released on Nonclassical's 'Outside the Lines' EP 
 https://open.spotify.com/user/nonclassical/playlist/7bw0IuUACL7vS0Vc38ziES

Modus Triplex was written for Tre Voci and premiered at the 840: New Music for Cellos on 12/10/2015.

Modus Triplex

good day good day bad day bad day (I)

Tenor - Leighton Triplow
Piano - Rhodri Clarke
Text - Ursula Vaughan-Williams

A Hymn for St Cecilia

From the premiere of Tristan & Iseult, Köln 2018: Reis glorios by G. de Bornelh with Miriam Andersén - voice and percussion, Raitis Grigalis - voice, Lucia Mense - transverse flute and recorder, Susanne Ansorg - fiddle.

Guiraut de Bornelh: Reis Glorios

[APWW #424] [Originally aired 2003]
Tarab, the ecstatic feeling associated with listening to and playing great music, is a fundamental characteristic in many varieties of Arab music. In this program, we explore tarab with special guest UCLA ethnomusicology professor A.J. Racy. Racy draws on his lifelong study of music and musicians, and also his insights as a virtuoso performer on the nay flute and the buzuq.  Racy guides us through the experiences of listeners and players, providing deep insight into many varieties of tarab. We hear works by A.J. Racy, Sabah Fakhri and Ensemble Al-Kindi of Syria, the great Egyptian singer Uum Kalthoum, and many others. Produced by Banning Eyre.

Tarab, The Art of Ecstasy in Arab Music

Brood

Full recordings of the pieces written through the 2012/13 Adopt a Composer scheme

Llandaff Cathedral Choral Society & Duncan Macleod: Behold the best of morning’s  dawns

00:00 A piece commissioned to be presented at the House of Commons, London, 2018 for the 750th birth anniversary of the saint Vedanta Desikar. I composed, sang and arranged music for his poem on Krishna with my collaborators Kedar and Rohit on the violin and mridangam respectively.

01:24 celebrating the historic judgment decriminalizing homosexuality in India with stories from the queer community and sung poetry from the temple traditions; performed in Nepal, 2019. Learnt from the repertoire of a transgender community (Jogatis) celebrating their goddess Yellamma, joyously cross-dressing and busking at the temple tank. I sing and play tambura.

02:44 With musicians Shruthi Vishwanath(vocal) and S.Sreecharan(khanjira) (2016) exploring the commonality in the philosophies of Kabir and the mystics from across the Indian Subcontinent; An 18th century composition that we sang from the repertoire of temple dancers. Here the lovelorn heroine is pining for the return of her belove

...par fumée... for 6 voices (live performance)

Thomas Fournil

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