La Folia (literally "madness") was a Portuguese dance from the renaissance, and it has been used by many composers in the ensuing centuries. This version is for voices and guitar. It introduces the theme as a repeated verse on voice 1 and then adds a co...  moreLa Folia (literally "madness") was a Portuguese dance from the renaissance, and it has been used by many composers in the ensuing centuries. This version is for voices and guitar. It introduces the theme as a repeated verse on voice 1 and then adds a couple of vocalize additions above and below it. The pdf file contains the score and a separate guitar part. The sound sample is performed by the composer. Let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia as in the Baroque Time Oh let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia It spans all the centuries up to now (la la la) (cu cu cu!)  less

This setting of the 98th Psalm (Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.) comes originally from my cantata “The Manchester Magnificat”, based on Audrey Vaughan’s poems about the religious and social history of the city. The oratorio was...  moreThis setting of the 98th Psalm (Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.) comes originally from my cantata “The Manchester Magnificat”, based on Audrey Vaughan’s poems about the religious and social history of the city. The oratorio was first performed in Manchester Cathedral in 1994. This psalm forms the climax of the whole cantata and provides an expression of opTimism after the tragedies of the previous sections. In this “extracted” version, the tragic surroundings of the history remain in the background and the purebubbling joy of the psalm itself shines forth. Enjoy the complex rhythms and let your hair down! This performance by Daniel Shaw's Composer's Choir (based in Connecticut) is a brilliant rendition of the piece and will, I hope, encourage other church choirs and concert choirs to consider including it in their repertoire.  less

This is a setting of a poem by The Reverend Doctor Malcolm Guite, Chaplain of Girton College Cambridge,with his permission. The poem is a response to the 8th "O Antiphon" for Advent O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was an...  moreThis is a setting of a poem by The Reverend Doctor Malcolm Guite, Chaplain of Girton College Cambridge,with his permission. The poem is a response to the 8th "O Antiphon" for Advent O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery. Who are the daughters of Jerusalem, Who glimpse you still as you transform their seeing? Whom have you called to this mysterium, and bathed in the blithe fountain of your being? Daughters of sorrow, daughters of despair, The cast-aside, the overlooked, the spurned The broken girls who scarcely breathe a prayer The ones whose love has never been returned. O Maid amongst the maidens, turn your face, For when we glimpse you we are not alone, O look us out of grief and into grace, Lift us in love made stronger than our own, Summon the spring in our worst wilderness, and make us fruitful in your fruitfulness.  less

On Christmas Eve morning 2017, I was approached by a member of our congregation who said he had been inspired by the Holy Ghost to write some words and that he would like me to set them to music. To begin with I wasn't sure, since they seemed somewhat re...  moreOn Christmas Eve morning 2017, I was approached by a member of our congregation who said he had been inspired by the Holy Ghost to write some words and that he would like me to set them to music. To begin with I wasn't sure, since they seemed somewhat repetitive, but as the day progressed to the early afternoon I found that I was also inspired (I even missed lunch!). The piece varies in mode from D Dorian to A Aeolian. The performance is by me (multi-tracking).  

Bring us in good ale is a mediaeval drinking song. The premise of the song is that the singers (or players) want no food and so they find all sorts of reasons not to eat: they just want good ale!

The history of Manchester as seen through the eyes of local poet Audrey Vaughan, including its origins around the river Irwell, the original monastery which became Manchester Cathedral, the industrial revolution, the Peterloo Massacre, and the singing of...  moreThe history of Manchester as seen through the eyes of local poet Audrey Vaughan, including its origins around the river Irwell, the original monastery which became Manchester Cathedral, the industrial revolution, the Peterloo Massacre, and the singing of church and cathedral choirs up to the present day. Music composed by David Warin Solomons and realised by Guy Protheroe. Conductor: Zoltán Pad Tenor soloist: József Gál Treble soloist: Csongor Gyulai The boys' choir's conductor was Márton Tóth who taught the piece to the children. Orchestra and choir: Budapest Scoring More information about Manchester Magnificat, including a video of the original 1994 performance and the complete poem sequence, can be found at: http://www.dwsolo.com/serif/manchestermagnificat.html  less