Halcyon Days - Melissa Dunphy - Anna Lapwood & The Choirs of Pembroke College, Cambridge
As the weather starts to turn, please enjoy this warm hug in musical form, one of my favourite tracks from 'A Pembroke Christmas'.
Buy/Stream/Download lnk.to/APembrokeChristmas
I’m sure I’m not the only conductor who used the lockdowns of 2020 to explore new music, and I think this piece might be one of my favourite discoveries from that period. Melissa Dunphy is an Australian-American composer who I first came across through her O Oriens, the next work on the album. Already aware of her name and her writing, I was excited to see that Voces8 commissioned a new piece from her for their Live from London Festival in 2020, and so eagerly bought copies when it became available. Dunphy sets a specially written text by her regular collaborator, Jacqueline Goldfinger, which creates ‘a period of calm during winter storms where we reflect on what we have lost.’ We learnt this piece over Zoom during the lockdowns of 2020, and then sang it outside at our end of year service when we were finally allowed to sing together again. Having had our choir activities (and lives) so heavily restricted, the words ‘rise up, rise up, tattered and torn’ seemed particularly emotion-laden and this piece has retained a special place for us ever since.
Sacred days draw near, traditions hallowed and wan,
Well-worn prayers embrace their heirs when love returns as embers.
Dreams delayed, hopes frayed in the blue nights of winter,
Daybreak dreams of reunions lost.
Rise up, tattered and torn! Rise up, barren and reborn!
Go forth in peace, bring joy to the dawn,
and grace, turn your face upon us.
-Jacqueline Goldfinger, 2020
Пікірлер: 32
I am more of a metalhead, but this is metal in an angelic way
@MelissaDunphy
8 ай бұрын
Composer of the song here! I actually came to composing originally via a love for Nine Inch Nails, so I'm taking this as the highest of compliments!!
Given how my day is going, this is beautiful. Thank you for giving me a few minutes peace
They are so good, and Anna really is a marvellous tutor! Bravo, Cheers from New Zealand!!
Très agréable à écouter ❤
The best choral music always take you somewhere joyful, uplifting and peaceful. This is that quality. 👏 Thank you.
My soul needed a lift as this one with you and the Pembroke Choirs. Thank you and yours . . .
Oh my! What a beautiful end to my day. Thank you all
Fantastically Wonderful and Beautiful = Wow!
The conductor is very tender and soothing and the young singers sound beautiful!
Mmmmmm.....verrrry good! Brings back memories of my time in choirs! ❤️
The voices of angels ❤
Oh boy !..
This performance is wonderful. Im so grateful for your posts.
Three times at least ... equally as charming but moreover rewarding
Beautiful, just beautiful ❤
So beautiful!!!
Dziękuję Aniu. You the best
Absolutely THRILLING!!
Glorious, thank you.
Truly beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
Wow….
Beautiful.
Phantastisch! Thx
Stunning
2:42 0_0 wow, she is incredible
lovely sounds.
So beautiful
Excellent performance!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏
Lovely. Choral singing is my favorite form of music. I would love to sing with you. I am afraid I would need a month or two of rehearsal to get my chops back, though. It has been over ten years since I sang in a choir.
@babawali3021
Жыл бұрын
"If you can hum, you can sing." Sing out and sing on -- the choirs await!
beautiful rendition, spoiled by video and audio out of sync!