Search Music:

2222;2221;timp,2perc,keyboards;strs

Our version of A Christmas Carol began as a glint in Russell Kerr’s eye. I remember a phone call from Russell in late 1988: “Philip – I think I’ve got an idea for a ballet that might work…”.

Two years later, A Christmas Carol opened in the Theatre Royal, Christchurch in a polished production by Southern Ballet, with Russell himself in the demanding dual roles of Scrooge and choreographer.

The success of the Southern Ballet’s presentation led to an unexpected invitation from Angela Gorton, then General Manager of Canterbury Opera.

“Would it be possible to convert the ballet into an opera?” Angela asked. “You’ve got to be joking” I remember thinking. “Yes, of course, no problems” I replied.

The temporary bout of insanity continued. I chose to write the libretto, as well as taking on the challenge of converting what was an electronic tape score into a 500-page manuscript for live orchestra and singers.

Thankfully, as it transpired, much of the original electronic score translated fairly readily into the different medium. At most, keys and speeds were altered, and occasional phrases tweaked to suit the range and breath requirements of the human performers. This left under half the ballet requiring either substantial revision or fresh material.

1993 disappeared in a blur of notes, rhyming couplets and spectral apparitions. One memory remains clear, and that is the thrill of seeing my labours brought to life in a gratifying premiere season of the opera by Canterbury Opera.

Someone once said ‘being a composer in New Zealand must be like being a bullfighter in Finland”. Certainly conventional wisdom has it that while a first performance of a new work is relatively easy to secure, opportunities for subsequent performances are as rare as a happy Wagnerian heroine.

Thus it was with relish and gratitude that I leapt upon the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s invitation to turn my opera score back into a ballet. This time, it was to be for humans to play, and a full orchestra no less. Oh joy oh bliss.

And it has given me the opportunity to use the wonderful line – I spent most of 2001 decomposing.

I feel enormously privileged to have the opportunity to work once again with Russell, Kristian, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and, of course, Charles Dickens.

Philip Norman
Composer
“A Christmas Carol”

solo cello, solo violin, folk drums, guitar, string quartet, saxophone

• Samuel Gray: Live at Jazid 

  Digital sound file - MP3
  
  $11.00
  • • Quantity:

• Ogilvie: My Lady of The Cave; computer-set 

  Full score | Hardcopy - computer set
  
  • Borrow

for SATB choir, solo soprano, solo tenor, harp, piano, organ and four percussionists ( mark tree(chimes), cymbals (suspended), anvil, tam tam, glockenspiel, vibraphone, temple blocks, xylophone, snare drum, bongo drums, bass drum, timpani).

Dedicated to my father, who died in 1999, the requiem (in nomine patris) started off as an optimistic work, a celebration of life rather than as a morbid fixation on loss. However, the reality of loss and the anger that comes with it soon began to take over the work. It was only after several months of constant revision that any sense of lyricism began to shine through. In the forefront of my mind were my friends Jenny Rowe, Patrick Beraud, Steve Johnson and Judi Pattinson, all bright lights no longer with us but whose spirits live on. They, too, are in the tapestry of this work. Anger at losing them is part of the work, as is deep unutterable sadness but the overriding sense (I hope) is of joy, typified by the uplifting Agnus Dei which concludes the work. The ‘Requiem’ uses parts of the Latin mass interspersed with poetry by Emily Bronte, Walt Whitman, William Drummond, Kahlil Gibran and myself. It is scored for soprano, tenor, choir and small chamber ensemble. The instrumental ensemble provides the rhythmic and harmonic structure of the work but the main focus is the vocal material, the emotional crux of which is the Whitman setting concluding the Recordare. The ‘Requiem’ combines plainsong motifs with dance elements, atonalism with minimalism and extended vocalising to present the requiem in a unique way – the ritual is still there but so is my personal comment on it. The requiem was written for the Jubilate Singers and their conductor John Pattinson and was premiered by them on 31st August 2001 in Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch, New Zealand.

• Shepherd: Requiem (in nomine patris); computer set 

  Full score | Hardcopy - computer set
  
  • Borrow

• Shepherd: Requiem (in nomine patris); computer set 

  Full score | Pdf - computer set
  

• Patrick Shepherd: Requiem  Year: 2001 

  CD
  
  • Borrow

Incidental music for full orchestra. Written for a spectacular music-theatre production of Oscar Wilde’s play. The 15 musical numbers include dances, songs and other dramatic incidental pieces.

• Ryan: Salome; computer-set 

  Full score | Hardcopy - computer set
  

• Scullion: Springsound  Year: 2001 

  CD
  
  $34.00
  • • Quantity:
  • Borrow

trombone, saxophone, vibraphone, guitar and keyboards, with electronic media