Sky Rhythms (2022) Perusal Score

for mezzo-soprano, flute (doubling piccolo), clarinet (doubling bass clarinet with effects pedal), electric guitar (with effects pedal), cello, piano

Text based on Day Survey by Marion Robinson, 12 July 1937, for the Mass Observation Archive, and a poem by William Blake.

Commissioned by the Orchestra of Sound and Light, for the South Downs Songbook, with funds from Arts Council England.

First performance 20 June 2022 at the Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts.

performed by The Orchestra of Sound and Light

Voice: Rachel Farago; Flute (doubling piccolo): Helen Whitaker; Clarinet (doubling bass clarinet): Alison Hughes; Electric Guitar: Lee Westwood; Piano (doubling keyboard): Rachel Fryer; Cello: Joe Giddey; Director: Ed Hughes; Producer: Liz Webb

Music & recording (c) Ed Hughes. All rights reserved.

A video recording of the full concert and post-concert discussion is available here.

Programme note:

Sky Rhythms (2022)

This song was written for the Orchestra of Sound and Light's South Downs Songbook project (funded by the Arts Council England for touring to venues including colleges and universities in June 2022). Also in the first version of the songbook were compositions by Shirley Thompson, Evelyn Ficarra and Rowland Sutherland.

The South Downs Songbook project commissioned a series of works from composers that formed a diverse creative response to the environment of the South Downs National Park.

In this piece, I adapted notes written by Marion Robinson for the Mass Observation Archive on one of its first 'Day Surveys' (12 July 1937). Marion Robinson was a resident near Felpham, West Sussex, in the 1930s. Marion writes about everyday life, her political views and the way in which proximity to the South Downs raises her spirits. She also mentions the fact that William Blake lived in Felpham (in 1800-1803) and speculates that certain visual rhythms in his work from that period were influenced by the unique and beautiful effects of light and cloud over the Downs.

For further information about the South Downs Songbook, please see:

https://www.orchsoundlight.org/southdownssongbook

Ed Hughes

31.3.2022