A setting for four equal voices of the parody by Rev George Strong on Longfellow's Hiawatha poem. The music is almost, but not quite, a canon... Versions are available in B flat mixolydian and in C mixolydian. (ie major with flattened 7th) When ...  moreA setting for four equal voices of the parody by Rev George Strong on Longfellow's Hiawatha poem. The music is almost, but not quite, a canon... Versions are available in B flat mixolydian and in C mixolydian. (ie major with flattened 7th) When he killed the Mudjokivis, Of the skin he made him mittens, Made them with the fur side inside, Made them with the skin side outside. He, to get the warm side inside, Put the inside skin side outside; He, to get the cold side outside, Put the warm side fur side inside. That's why he put the fur side inside, Why he put the skin side outside, Why he turned them inside outside  less

Sung at Canterbury Cathedral during our Royal School of Church Music Summer Course in 1986, under Martin How. I (David W Solomons) was one of the altos. John Huntley - a fellow alto - recorded this performance.

Song of summer for choir, cello and guitar based on the duo SummerTime Rag by Chris Benson In the summerTime when the work was done we'd take our ease and have our fun we'd been always looking forward to the warm dry days of sun In the summerti...  moreSong of summer for choir, cello and guitar based on the duo SummerTime Rag by Chris Benson In the summerTime when the work was done we'd take our ease and have our fun we'd been always looking forward to the warm dry days of sun In the summerTime we would run and sing enjoy all that the days could bring we would laugh and winterTime would seem a very distant thing but it couldn't last and the autumn came too quickly with its wind and rain ....  

Weaving a spell - Incantation for Pamela - magic for a while... This song can be understood on two levels. At first sight it is a simple senTimental piece, but beneath it lies a history of pure imagination, enchantment and impossibility. The co...  moreWeaving a spell - Incantation for Pamela - magic for a while... This song can be understood on two levels. At first sight it is a simple senTimental piece, but beneath it lies a history of pure imagination, enchantment and impossibility. The composer already realises he is no longer feeling what he is writing, he is just weaving a spell, over an ostinato guitar motif, to try to bring the feelings back (hence the title "Incantation"). He has found in his life that whenever he writes a song for the object of his desire, he has already begun to stop feeling that desire ... it is a sign that the relationship is about to change or disappear. But the whole thing is indeed enchantment and magic: you can dream and you can take the song at face value if you wish.  less

Refrain There were plums and prunes and cherries There were raisins and currants and cinnamon too. There were nuts and cloves and berries but the crust it was stuck on with glue. There were caraway seeds in abundance, It would give yer a fine stoma...  moreRefrain There were plums and prunes and cherries There were raisins and currants and cinnamon too. There were nuts and cloves and berries but the crust it was stuck on with glue. There were caraway seeds in abundance, It would give yer a fine stomach ache 'Twould kill any man twice to be eatin' A slice of Mrs Hooligan's Christmas cake. As I sat in me window last evenin' A letterman came unto me. He'd a nice little neat invitation Sayin' "Won't you come over to tea?" I knew it was Hooligan sent it So I went for our friendship's sake and the first thing he gave me to tackle Was a slice of Mrs. Hooligan's cake.  less

This jaunty melody with countermelodies has been written for an a cappella choir of SATBB with splits in some of the voices from Time to Time. The words are my own and tell of children playing their games in the dusty streets (ie of Bethlehem) unaware tha...  moreThis jaunty melody with countermelodies has been written for an a cappella choir of SATBB with splits in some of the voices from Time to Time. The words are my own and tell of children playing their games in the dusty streets (ie of Bethlehem) unaware that a miracle has happened and asking them to look up to the angels and join their singing. The performance here is by the Composer's Choir conducted by Daniel Shaw.  

Choral arrangement of Cole Porter's Let's Do it performed by the dwsChorale (i.e. David Solomons multitracking)

It all began with the idea one morning that the "other tune" for Nahum Tate's carol "While shepherds watched" is, of course, the Yorkshire ditty "On Ilkley moor bar t'hat". Well, as the day progressed to afternoon, other tunes got added, resulting in ...  moreIt all began with the idea one morning that the "other tune" for Nahum Tate's carol "While shepherds watched" is, of course, the Yorkshire ditty "On Ilkley moor bar t'hat". Well, as the day progressed to afternoon, other tunes got added, resulting in a curious potpourri for choir and piano. The choir gets to sing "On Ilkla Moor", the Este psalter tune known to all, and also Auld Lang Syne. The second voice, in its madrigalian way, gets a sly English cadence!. Meanwhile, the piano also gets some sly references to "Sing a song of sixpence" and "Scotland the brave". I sang it in G (ATBB) on this video, to fit my multitrack range, but mixed choir versions are also available on musicaneo: in C (SATB) (fairly high for the sopranos) http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-196257_while_shepherds_watched_-_in_various_melodies.html#196258 and in Bflat (SATB) (fairly low for the basses) http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-196257_while_shepherds_watched_-_in_various_melodies.html#196257  less

Gospel style setting for 2 or 4 voices, 2 flutes, double bass, guitar and tambourine of my evangelical poem about the meaning of Christmas.

A simple Communion Service for choir, organ and congregation written for a local church. The photographs were taken by Keith Brownlow, fellow student at Sale University of the 3rd Age, with thanks.