Choirs of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City (Alec Wyton, organist and master of choristers); Trinity Church, Princeton, N. J. (James W. Litton, organist and choirmaster); Trinity Church, New York City (Larry King, organist and music director). Larry King, David Agler and Jack Jones, organists; Alec Wyton, conductor; Barry Tuckwell, horn; The London Sinfonietta; David Atherton, conductor
Iain Hamilton's Epitaph is an evocation of the more awesome portions of the Book of Revelation. Voyage is a trip through a sometimes violent, sometimes familiar musical landscape, in the form of a concerto for French horn.
The text of Epitaph is based-upon passages from the Revelation of St. John the Divine, relating to the seven plagues: the destruction of Babylon, the first earth and the first heaven, and finally, the descent of the celestial city of jasper, gold and glass. Dominating the conception is the vast enigma posed by the line, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending."
To capture the terrible sense of the words, three choirs and three organs are called for, with the organs delivering many eerie effects while the singers shout, scream and whisper as well as sing. The composition ends as it begins, raising the possibility of a never-ending performance — another enigma.
Voyage is, the composer says, related to Baudelaire's poems, Le Voyage, and Un Voyage à Cythère and Rimbaud's Le Bateau ivre, all of which refer to far off places and the sea, although the voyage is an inner one. "In the music, these references to certain places and the sea are mirrored in passages from Debussy's music," specifically L'isle joyeuse and La Mer. There are nine sections, with the horn dominating all but four short interludes. The music requires the players to use microtones, to improvise and to play simultaneously in different tempos.
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Full liner notes are accessible via the link above.
Iain Hamilton: Epitaph for this World and Time - Voyage
| MP3/320 | $7.99 | |
| FLAC | $7.99 | |
| WAV | $7.99 | |
| CD-R | $7.99 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
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Epitaph for this World and Time: I. Prologue - First Interlude
Iain Hamilton
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Epitaph for this World and Time: II. The Seven Plagues - Second Interlude
Iain Hamilton
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Epitaph for this World and Time: III. The Fall of Babylon - Third Interlude - Fourth Interlude
Iain Hamilton
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Epitaph for this World and Time: IV. The End of Heaven and Earth - Fifth Interlude
Iain Hamilton
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Epitaph for this World and Time: V. The Descent of the Celestial City
Iain Hamilton
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Epitaph for this World and Time: VI. Epilogue
Iain Hamilton
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Voyage
Iain Hamilton
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