BLOSSOMINGS (3 PRAYERS FOR A BETTER WORLD)

for mixed choir, trumpet (or clarinet) and electronics (optional)



Blossomings was composed in 2016 for the BBC Singers, conductor Martyn Brabbins and trumpet virtuoso Marco Blaauw, as a tribute to the late English composer Jonathan Harvey.
He was profoundly involved with Buddhism and he frequently made a connection between his Christian background and Buddhism.

Wim Henderickx wanted to go one step further in this work and took texts from three different cultures and religions as a source of inspiration. The first text was written by Jigme Lingpa, an 18th century Tibetan Buddhist. The second is a text by Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval German monastic leader, mystic, author and composer, representing 12th century Roman Catholicism and the third is by Rumi, a Persian poet and Sufi mystic who represents 13th century Islam.

The music in this work was also inspired by these different eras and cultures.
In Blossomings (3 Prayers for a better World), Henderickx wanted to emphasise reconciliation and the beauty of different cultures.

To one side of the mixed choir a double-bell trumpet is commenting on and introducing parts of the texts. The sound of the trumpet can also be considered as a calling upon the master (Jonathan Harvey).

The (optional) electronics create a sonorous background to the harmonic material sung by the choir. This will give the work a spatial effect.
The work ends with the initial material from the third prayer, combined with a musical motif inspired by Jonathan Harvey’s name.

ARTICLES:

- Blossomings - Classical Music Magazine

- Blossomings, my text as guest blogger - Classical Diary

In 2018 BLOSSOMINGS for mixed choir and trumpet was selected by the Estonian Composers Union to be performed at the World Music Days 2019 in Tallinn on May 4th, 2019 by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Indrek Vau (trumpet) at the St-Nicholas' Church in Tallinn.


Rehearsal BBC Singers, Martyn Brabbins and Wim Henderickx (September 2016)




RECORDINGS

Available at Wim Henderickx

DOWNLOAD PDF (sample)

SCORE

notebutikken.no





INSTRUMENTATION / EXTRA INFORMATION

BLOSSOMINGS for mixed choir, trumpet and (optional) electronics (2016)
(+/- 17')
premiere: 23rd September 2016 at LSO St Luke's, London (GB)
BBC Singers, conductor Martyn Brabbins
Marco Blaauw, trumpet







RETROSPECTRE