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Brigid Ursula Bisley  

Come Back Safely

Duration: 16' 00" Year: 1995, r. 1999
for soprano, string quintet and percussion

Anthony Ritchie  

Five Dunedin Songs for Tenor and Guitar Opus 77

Duration: 16' 00" Year: 1995

  • Programme Note

    Poems by Iain Lonie and Bernadette Hall, and commissioned by Tony Donaldson for performance by himself (guitar) and Robert Oliver (tenor) in 1997, with funding from Creative NZ. Originally from Dunedin, Bernadette studied Classics under Iain Lonie at Otago University. I have to thank two other Classicists with regard to the selection of these poems for setting: Andrew Barker who put me onto Iain’s poetry, and Gail Tatham who recommended Bernadette’s poems to me.

    Anthony Ritchie

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Lyell Cresswell  

Snatches, from Baptized Generations

Duration: 15' 00" Year: 1995
for tenor and piano

  • Programme Note

    1.
    When Bells stop ringing – Church – begins –
    The Positive – of Bells –
    Then Cogs – stop – that’s Circumference –
    The Ultimate – of Wheels.

    2.
    A word is dead
    When it is said,
    Some say.
    I say it just
    Begins to live
    That day.

    3.
    Drab Habitation of Whom?
    Tabernacle or Tomb –
    Or Dome of Worm –
    Or Porch of Gnome –
    Or some Elf’s Catacomb?

    4.
    I’ve seen a Dying Eye
    Run round and round a Room –
    In search of Something – as it seemed –
    Then Cloudier become –
    And then – obscure with Fog –
    And then – be soldered down
    Without disclosing what it be
    ‘Twere blessed to have seen –

    5.
    I’m Nobody! Who are you?
    Are you – Nobody – Too?
    Then there’s a pair of us?
    Don’t tell! they’d advertise – you know!

    How dreary – to be – Somebody!
    How public – like a Frog –
    To tell one’s name – the livelong June –
    To an admiring Bog!

    6.
    Ample make this Bed –
    Make this Bed with Awe –
    In it wait till Judgement break
    Excellent and Fair.

    Be its Mattress straight –
    Be its Pillow round –
    Let no Sunrise’ yellow noise
    Interrupt this Ground –

    7.
    Over and over, like a Tune –
    The Recollection plays –
    Drums off the Phantom Battlements
    Cornets of Paradise –
    Snatches, from Baptizes Generations –
    Cadences too grand
    But for the Justified Processions
    At the Lord’s Right hand.

    8.
    There is a pain – so utter –
    It swallows substance up –
    Then covers the Abyss with Trance –
    So Memory can step
    Around – across – upon it –
    As one within a Swoon –
    Goes safely – where an open eye –
    Would drop Him – Bone by Bone.

    9.
    “Faith” is a fine invention
    When Gentlemen can see –
    But Microscopes are prudent
    In an emergency.

    10.
    Too few the mornings be,
    Too scant the nights.
    No lodging can be had
    For the delights
    That come to earth to stay,
    But no apartment find
    And ride away.

    11.
    Wild Nights – Wild Nights!
    Were I with thee
    Wild nights should be
    Our luxury!

    Futile – the Winds –
    To a Heart in port –
    Done with the Compass –
    Done with the Chart!

    Rowing in Eden –
    Ah, the Sea!
    Might I but moor – Tonight –
    In Thee!

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