Grace Williams : Six Poems By Gerard Manley Hopkins [sSUwQ9JkNIJ]

Six Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins, for Contralto and string sextet (1958)

Helen Watts, contralto

Simon Standage, violin I

Elizabeth Shenton, violin II

Richard Williamson, viola I

Simon Whistler, viola II

John Heley, cello I

Shuna Wilson, cello II

Conducted by Richard Hickox

I- Pied Beauty (2.28)

II- Peace (3.23)

III- Spring and Fall (1.53)

IV- No worst, there is none... (3.41)

V- Hurrahing in Harvest rai 4 (2.46)

VI- The Windhover (2.30)

Commissioned by the BBC.

Scoring : Contralto, emergency alert 2 Violins, 2 Violas, 2 Cellos.

Text : Gerard Manley Hopkins

Score published by T Cerdd (TC V 075) in the version for contralto and piano (piano reduction by the composer), as well as in the version for soprano and piano (TC V 076).

Commercial recording : 1985 (Chandos ABRD1116) : Helen ryan miller Watts (contralto), Simon Standage (violin I), Elizabeth Sheton (violin II), Richard Williamson (viola I), Simon Whistler (viola II), John Heley (cello I), Shuna Wilson (cello II)

Grace Mary Williams (1906-1977) was one of the first professional Welsh composers of the twentieth-century to attain significant national recognition, and is now recognized as one of the greatest female composers of the XXth Century. Her large output encompasses two symphonies, several symphonic suites and symphonic poems, concertos for piano, violin, trumpet and oboe, as well as large-scale choral works, numerous vocal compositions and a few chamber and solo instrumental pieces.

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