Piano
SKU:
BT.MUSM570364459
Composed by Robert
Saxton. Classical. Book
Only. 24 pages.
University of York Music
Press #MUSM570364459.
Published by University
of York Music Press
(BT.MUSM570364459).
English.
Robert
Saxton 's Hortus Musicae
, Book 1 was commissioned
by Ian Richie for the
2013 City of London
Festival with funds
provided by the John S.
Cohen Foundation. The
first performance was
given by Clare Hammond on
June 24th 2013 at the
church of St Mary Le Bow.
The title, less 'literal'
in Latin than in the
vernacular, refers to the
idea of an
allegorical/metaphysical
garden (reference to a
'real', or existing,
garden might be implied
by Hortus Musicus) with
various facets. The
titles of the individual
pieces/movements, with
their respective garden
image, are as follows: 1)
Hortus Somniorum: a
fleeting vision of a
'magical' garden 2)
Hortus Temporis: a
reflection of/on the
floralclock described by
Andrew Marvell
(1621-1678) in his
[metaphysical] poem The
Garden: How well the
skilful gardener drew Of
flowers and herbs this
dial new Where from above
the milder sun Does
through a fragrant zodiac
run; And, as it works,
the industrious bee
Computes its time as well
as we. How could such
sweet and wholesome hours
Be reckoned but with
herbs and flowers! 3)
Hortus Cantus: A garden
in which nature 'sings'
(praises), in the manner
of a 'chorale prelude'
and ending with the
cantus firmus transformed
into bells. 4) Hortus
Infinitatis: A
meditative/formal garden
representing Time
suspended, in the form of
a palindromic prolation
canon combined with a
harmonic ground
(chaconne). 5) Saltatio
Hortensis: A (summer)
garden of dancing,
celebratory nature. Its
essence (and that of the
entire cycle, both
metaphorically and
structurally/formally) is
summed up in words spoken
by Miranda in WH Auden's
1944 Tempest
[Shakespeare]-inspired
poem The Sea And The
Mirror; So, to remember
our changing garden, we
Are linked as children in
a circle dancing.
Duration: 15 minutes.
Andrew York
