Egils Straume - "A Shepherd kept Sheep on a Hill so high "PART II
Composer - Egils Straume - "A Shepherd kept Sheep on a Hill so high "for Bagpipes,Organ and Symphony Orchastra 2004. PART II. World Premiere in Lincoln Cathedral. Lincolnshire Youth Symphony orchestra. Conductor - Wynne Harries. Soloists - Niall Baxter - bagpipes. John Lyon - organ. Leader - Rhian Thomas. World Premiere on 10/07/2004 in Lincoln Cathedral. This work has been written specially for the Lincolnshire Youth Symphony orchestra and Egils Straume has chosen one of Britains oldest folk instruments, the Scottish bagpipes, as solo instrument, playing an ancient Latvian musical tune Ganu Garais Sauciens , a shepherds calling song across the countryside. This tune, A Shepherd kept Sheep on a Hill so high , is a very simple one, consisting of only five notes, upon which the whole symphonic piece is based. The combinations of instruments solo bagpipe, organ, and orchestra is unique; no other exist in musical history, until today! The soloist moves around the audience during the performance. This piece starts and ends very softly; the Latvian tune grows slowly, in pastoral mode, starting with bass clarinet, takes on by tuba, then bagpipe. This reaches a cataclysmic climax, symbolizing political and military chaos, which threatens to engulf us all. The central section is signalised by a snare drum muted with a towel and groves into an unstoppable avalanche of sound, which is a metaphor for the militaristic urge deep in the human psyche. Two sets of tabular bells and hand bells symbolise the souls of dead. The work finishes very softly with sounds of human souls ( woodwinds ) in bird like voices, delicately bringing hope..........but for what ?
Composer - Egils Straume - "A Shepherd kept Sheep on a Hill so high "for Bagpipes,Organ and Symphony Orchastra 2004. PART II. World Premiere in Lincoln Cathedral. Lincolnshire Youth Symphony orchestra. Conductor - Wynne Harries. Soloists - Niall Baxter - bagpipes. John Lyon - organ. Leader - Rhian Thomas. World Premiere on 10/07/2004 in Lincoln Cathedral. This work has been written specially for the Lincolnshire Youth Symphony orchestra and Egils Straume has chosen one of Britains oldest folk instruments, the Scottish bagpipes, as solo instrument, playing an ancient Latvian musical tune Ganu Garais Sauciens , a shepherds calling song across the countryside. This tune, A Shepherd kept Sheep on a Hill so high , is a very simple one, consisting of only five notes, upon which the whole symphonic piece is based. The combinations of instruments solo bagpipe, organ, and orchestra is unique; no other exist in musical history, until today! The soloist moves around the audience during the performance. This piece starts and ends very softly; the Latvian tune grows slowly, in pastoral mode, starting with bass clarinet, takes on by tuba, then bagpipe. This reaches a cataclysmic climax, symbolizing political and military chaos, which threatens to engulf us all. The central section is signalised by a snare drum muted with a towel and groves into an unstoppable avalanche of sound, which is a metaphor for the militaristic urge deep in the human psyche. Two sets of tabular bells and hand bells symbolise the souls of dead. The work finishes very softly with sounds of human souls ( woodwinds ) in bird like voices, delicately bringing hope..........but for what ?