Evening Lament
for solo piano
Composition Date: 2013
Duration: 1'
Information:
The first performance was given by Natalie Bleicher on 6th January 2013, at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building in Oxford. She then gave the London premiere on 15th November at the Schott shop, and has recorded it on her CD Dream Rotation.
Programme Note:
Evening Lament
This short piece was written as part of an assignment I gave to ten composers whom I was tutoring on the Midwinter Composers' Course organised by CoMA. The task was to compose a variation on the Burns song 'Ca' the Yowes'. Each composer wrote a title, speed and mood indication on separate pieces of paper which went into three hats; then each of them picked one slip of paper from each hat. I took part as well, and drew out 'lament', 'mesto' - and 'fast'. I addressed this dichotomy by writing a great many fast grace notes in the context of a slow reverie.
I later incorporated this miniature into the fifth movement of Flodden - a work for soprano and orchestra.
The first performance was given by Natalie Bleicher on 6th January 2013, at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building in Oxford. She then gave the London premiere on 15th November at the Schott shop, and has recorded it on her CD Dream Rotation.
Sally Beamish
Available Recordings:
Natalie Bleicher piano
Features 'Evening Lament' by Sally Beamish
Upcoming pianist and composer Natalie Bleicher performs a collection of solo works, many of which have a personal connection. 'Evening Lament' was written for her as part of a compositional project led by Sally. This tiny variation on the Scottish folk tune 'Ca' the Yowes' was later incorporated into the orchestral song cycle 'Flodden'.