When I was finishing composing my Sea Requiem in January I had the opportunity to compose a short 5' work for flute and piano for Anna Hopkins and Brenda Blewett to play. They make up half a new ensemble called Horizon of which myself and the cellist Michael Christie form the other half. We all live in Norfolk and studied at The Royal College of Music at different times. We formed Horizon during lockdown and it has been a real joy to sing with such collegiate musicians.
Cley Church
For our spring concert we devised a programme of Baroque music which culminated in the wonderful solo alto cantata, Vergnüte Ruh by Bach. Bach wrote a series of alto cantatas all of which focus on how death can bring the pleasure of heaven and union with the divine. He specifically composed them to bring comfort to his children when they lost a sibling which sadly was a common event. With this is in mind I set to emulate this theme by drawing on elements in my recent compositions: In Paradisum from the Sea Requiem and the conclusion to my new orchestral work È Perso Nel Tempo which is inspired by Jung's Red Book and Dante's Divina Commedia. In Paradiso, paradise is depicted as consisting of many levels of existence. In this lyrical work, these contrasts are reflected in the form of a divertimento. My gratitude goes to the performers Anna Hopkins and Brenda Blewett.
Michael Christie, Brenda Blewett and Anna Hopkins
Here is the performance of Paradiso
The music for Paradiso can be purchased on this link
The Sea Requiem will be performed by North Sea Orchestra and Singers
in The Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral on Saturday 1st April 20203
The music for Sea Requiem can be purchased on this link
https://composersedition.com/susannah-self-sea-requiem/
The music for È Perso Nel Tempo can be purchased on this link
https://composersedition.com/susannah-self-e-perso-nel-tempo/
