World Première of Work by Rhona Clarke

The Music Department proudly announces that Rhona Clarke’s latest composition, Two Marion Anthems will receive its world première in Queen’s University Belfast on Wednesday 27th June.  The work will be performed in the National Chamber Choir’s upcoming series of concerts entitled The Eternal Feminine.  These concerts will celebrate the contribution made by women to music, be it female composers, or poets or the inspiration of feminine ideas and ideals. 

Rhona’s work is a setting of two of the oldest Marian texts. The composer describes how

“… it begins with ‘Salve Regina’ which is inspired by the central movement of Bartok’s Fourth String Quartet. The opening idea is a transposition of the static chord used by Bartok while the emerging tenor melody is at first like plainchant and later more like Bartok’s cello line - an elaborate improvisatory melody. The hymn remains slow and restrained throughout and the text, chosen to suit this musical idea, in turn, influenced musical decisions such as the chant-like melodic lines.

The complementary ‘Salve Regina’ was sketched in a single day while staying at Annaghmakerrig and has a more exuberant style - lively and rhythmic. On ‘ora pro nobis’ the music reflects on the words using a slow chordal build-up before the final section which is a development of the opening idea. The anthems are dedicated to Theo (my mother b.1914) who is always singing!”

This work was commissioned by The National Chamber Choir with funds from The ArtsCouncil/An Chomhairle Ealaion.

This Belfast concert will be repeated in the National Gallery of Ireland on Thursday 28th June at 6.30pm.  The Dublin performance will be recorded by Lyric FM for future broadcast.

 

Last Updated: Monday June 25 2007