Composer Orlando Gibbons was the leading English composer of his time the late 16th and early 17th century. This five-Voice SSATB madrigal is the best known of his many madrigals and remains compellingly beautiful.The sheet music also includes A Catch on Tobacco by theologian philosopher and composer Dr Henry Aldrich. It dates from 1685 when the composer was Dean of Christ Church Oxford and widely known among his contemporaries as a convivial soul who among his writings created a Latin epigramme listing five reasons for drinking. The performance notes stipulate that the round is to be sung by four men while smoking their pipes.

For choir (SSATB) and Organ.Published 2004.Commissioned by St Catharine's College Cambridge for the 300th anniversary of the consecration of the chapel.First performance: Dr Edward Wickham Max Pappenheinz(organ scholar) and the St Catharine's Chapel Choir 25th November 2004.Conducting and organ score.

Composer's notes:The Fool is a time-honoured Orthodox religious figure: a Saint the highest of all who discards everything for Christ's sake. He discards all convention all decency all wealth actual and spiritual and turns himself into a figure of fun - defying all acceptable behaviour - and all religious decency. He stands in the square and lets down his trousers - he stuffs himself with food on Good Friday - he gets drunk - he 'appears'to fornicate wildly. There is a faint possibility (in not the highest of 'Fools') of gaining worldly popularity by such flagrant denial of all moral behaviour. Can such behaviour be too interesting? The true fool however embraces all of this and also (unseen) shrinks before the face of his God. By his behaviour he plucks out all hypocrisy false piety and corruption. He is a figure much needed in our times!!! The way I have tried to tacklethis extraordinary subject is to show him in seven stages from an obscene huge fat traditional clown who is drunk fornicating etc. through a stumbling frail agonized figure to a sallow-faced gaunt business man in a formalsuit staring at an empty glass. Having first revered him then mocked him the 'people' while they get drunk and jabber away at 'Christmas' and at the Feast of Feasts 'Easter' are no longer aware of him. But the audience seeshim - a tiny ragged scrap of mortality lying in a corner and faintly so faintly the voice of the Fool the true Fool for Christ's sake sings above the ribald crowd. 'He has given His life'. The Gogmagogs are the 'people' 'priests' 'singers' etc. and one male singer who can 'create' or 'uncreate' this vast role (singing and acting miming etc.) John Tavener Arranged for SSATBB chorus. Date of composition 2000. Chorus part only.