PHILIPS Reach for Andromeda for unaccompanied double choir Poem by Olive Fraser
No. 71031
JULIAN PHILIPS
Reach for Andromeda for unaccompanied double choir
Poem by Olive Fraser
EIGENTUM DES VERLEGERS
· ALLE RECHTE VORBEHALTEN
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
EDITION PETERS LONDON · FRANKFURT/M. · LEIPZIG · NEW YORK
Dedicated as belated birthday tribute to Sir Michael Tippett
Commissioned by Paul Spicer and the Finzi Singers in January 1995
th
First performed at the Wigmore Hall, Sunday 30 April 1995 by the Finzi Singers conducted by Paul Spicer
This score is a facsimile of the composer’s manuscript, reflecting the state of editorial work and correction as of 8th September 2007
JULIAN PHILIPS
Reach for Andromeda for unaccompanied double choir Poem by Olive Fraser
Reach for Andromeda Reach for Andromeda, because you can, And if you can, you can reach higher far, For least and highest live within a man, The darker suborner and the brightest star, And gods and criminals entangled are Within our veins. O how do we descry The worm, the vernal star, the low, the high! Reach for Andromeda, and if you may Come not unto that alien galaxy, You shall at least reach to some purest day That yet will bathe and strengthen ardently Your life and all sweet common things that be Under, within, around your heart and have That happiness that all your life will save. Reach for Andromeda, though nights are dark With sullen senses. Reach on high unto The world outside the world. A golden spark Of heaven will light up all this world and you. Never sink by the lane-side. Lo! a hue Not of this earth does still surround you now. Still in the dark I strive and know not how. I know not why my nerves and veins and blood Long for the infinite, and know not why Butterfly's wing, and cumulus, and flood Take me, a spirit, to the highest sky Where no dusked thought or memory comes by. Only I know beyond all human ken My soul touches Andromeda again. 3rd September 1976 From The Wrong Music: The Poems of Olive Fraser 1909-77 Edited by Helena Shire, published by Canongate Publishing, 1989.
Duration c.5’30’’
Programme Note: Reach for Andromeda is a setting for unaccompanied double choir, of a poem by the littleknown Scottish poet, Olive Fraser (1909-1977) commissioned by the Finzi Singers, and first performed at the Wigmore Hall on the 30th April 1995. What drew me to the poem was its extraordinary visionary quality. For Fraser the act of reaching for Andromeda symbolises humanity's search for the infinite and inexpressible, which if never reached, are still worth the striving for. Such generous optimism resonates strongly with the work’s dedicatee, Sir Michael Tippett. Part of the inspiration for the piece came from the Marian Antiphons of the Eton Choirbook - particularly the Stabat Mater of John Browne -which are characterised by remarkably rich choral texture. Taking the idea of "reaching" from the poem, I tried to use similar stark contrasts between high and low voices. The full eight parts are only used for significant moments in the text which act like pillars, dividing up episodes for smaller groups and solo voices. There are thus three levels in the texture, very much in the manner of the Browne Stabat Mater and analagous to the Great, Swell and Choir of an organ. The piece was intended as belated birthday homage to Sir Michael Tippett, and is approximately five minutes in duration. Julian Philips 1995
Reach for Andromeda
Poem by Olive Fraser q = c.65 f exultant
Soprano 1
Reach
f exultant
Alto 1
(e = e)
Tenor 1
Bass 1
3
Reach
3
f exultant
An - dro -me - da,
Tenor 2 Bass 2
S.1 5
mf
Reach
A.1
T.1
B.1
S.2
far,
Reach
Reach
B.2
far
for
An
mp
can reach high - er
mp
you
can reach high - er
high - er
p
mf
The
For least and high
-
3
- dro - me - da, p
For
you
3
mf
if you can,
for An - dro - me - da, mf
T.2
3
A.2
Reach
p searching
And
mf
can,
for
And if you
can,
f exultant
Alto 2
Soprano 2
3
p searching
be - cause you
for An - dro -me - da,
Julian Philips (1995)
Edition Peters No. 71031 Music © Copyright 2007 by Hinrichsen Edition, Peters Edition Limited, London From The Wrong Music: The Poems of Olive Fraser 1909-77 Edited by Helena Shire, published by Canongate Publishing, 1989.
least and high
5
est
live wi - thin
a
5 p
est
For least
live wi - thin
and high
-
a
man,
3
est
live wi - thin
2
più mosso 1 poco (q = c.72)
S.1
A.1
T.1
3 3
8
fp
3
dar - ker su - bor -
B.1 S.2
mf
man, The
mf
The
T.2
B.2
mf
man, The
and the
brigh - test
fp
dar - ker su - bor - ner,
3
3
brigh - test
fp
dar - ker su - bor - ner,
fp
dar - ker su - bor - ner,
And gods
and cri - mi
pp
p with passion
- nals
en - tang
-
star,
brigh - test
pp
star,
brigh - test
3 3
star,
3 3
A.2
ner
pp
pp
star,
S.1
12
A.1
pp with passion
And gods
S.2
and
cri - mi - nals
pp with passion And gods
A.2
-
gled are
Wi -thin our
pp
veins.
p with passion
And
gods
and
And
gods
And
gods
and cri - mi -
p
And gods
and
cri - mi - nals
en -
and cri - mi - nals
cri - mi -nals
p
mf
and cri - mi - nals
are,
en - tan
18
S.1
- tan
A.1
-
-
gled
mf
nals
en - tan
-
-
en - tan
A.2
-
-
Wi -thin
our
gled are
mp
en - tan
en - tan
-
-
veins.
gled
-
-
gled
are
Wi -thin
our
en - tan
-
are
mp
mp
gled are,
-
gled are,
mf
S.2
-
3
mp
gled are
Wi
veins.
-
Wi -
- thin
our
2 (q = q)
pp S.1 23
pp
A.1
- thin
our
p broadly
T.1
B.1
O
how
do
3
O
how
S.2
pp
A.2
pp
veins.
T.2
B.2
p broadly
p broadly
O
how
veins.
3
5:4
mf broadly
O
how
mf broadly
O
how
do
we
des
cry
-
do
des
-
f
we
mf
(e = e)
we
des - cry
The
f
5:4
do
we
do
O
how
des - cry
The mf broadly
mf broadly
we
O
how
3
p broadly
3
O
how
do
mf
5:4
do 5:4
we
des -
cry
we
des - cry
do
we
f
The
mf
des - cry
des - cry
f
The
4
S.1 25
A.1
cry,
3
the
star,
f
ver
-
nal
3
f
the
ver
worm,
T.1
B.1
T.2
the
star,
mf
worm, f
f
worm,
the
3
ver
-
nal
star,
ver
-
nal
star,
mf
mf
worm,
Reach
for
An
-
mp piu leggiero
for
you
mf
for
mp piu leggiero
An - dro - me - da
f
mf
high!
mf 3
and
Reach
if
dro - me - da,
3
Reach
3
and
f
f
the
the low,
B.2
high!
the
3
f
the low,
high!
3 Tempo primo (q = c.65) f
the
the low,
the
A.2
nal
S.2
-
mf
the low,
An - dro - me - da
S. Solo 29
A.1
may
B.1 T.1
A.2
T.2
B.2
3
Come not un - to
that
a
-
-
and
if
mp
lien
ga - la - xy,
you
p
you may
Come
3
not un - to
that
a
-
lien
may
if
ga - la - xy,
come not un - to that
S. Solo
5
32
3
a - lien ga - la - xy,
S.1
A.1
p
You
p S.2
You
A.2
shall at
shall at least
reach
to some pu
-
5
least
reach to some
pu
-
rest
p
You shall at
least
reach to
mp
That
rest
yet
5
some
pu
-
streng -then
pp blissful
day
rest
will bathe pp blissful
streng - then
will bathe
streng - then
day
and streng -then pp blissful
will bathe
day
5
pp blissful
S. Solo 35
p
That yet
3
will bathe
and
streng
ar - den - tly
Your
life
S.2
ar - den - tly
Your
life
A.2
S.1
ar - den - tly
A.1
ar - den - tly
Your
Your
-
then ar
life
life
-
den
pp
-
tly
all
mp
sweet com -mon
com -mon things that be pp
sweet
all
and
p
pp
com -mon things that be
sweet com -mon things that be
pp
sweet com - mon things that be
Un
-
6
S. Solo 38
p
things sweet
S.1
A.1 S.2
wi
mf
com -mon things
That
mp
mf emphatic
your heart
and have That
hap - pi - ness
mf emphatic
p
- thin,
and have That
p
a
- round,
and have That
hap - pi - ness
- der,
hap - pi - ness
mf emphatic
mf emphatic
A.2
and have That
hap - pi - ness
3
that
your life
all
that
will
all
your life
3
that
your life
all
save.
3
will
will
that
all
your life
save.
save.
3
will
save
S. Solo 40
hap
-
pi
p
- ness, hap
-
pi
- ness,
A.1
B.2
that
A.2
mp
S.1
S.2
4 Meno mosso (q = c.50)
poco rit.
3
your
life will
all
-
-
save
ppp misterioso (stagger breathing)
mm
7
42
T. Solo
B.1
p dark
3
though nights are
ppp misterioso (stagger breathing)
dark
5:4
With
sul - len
sen
ses.
mm
T.2 B.2
(stagger breathing)
ppp misterioso
mm
T. Solo 44
T.1
on high un - to
The
(stagger breathing)
5:4
world out - side the
world.
p sempre cresc.
mm
pp poco a poco cresc
T.2 poco a poco cresc
3
Reach
B.1
B.2
4:3 mp
pp poco a poco cresc
p sempre cresc.
p sempre cresc.
A gol
-
den
8
3 T. Solo
47
mf
spark of
heav‘n
T.1
B.1
ah
mp
all
world
mf
mp
ah
-
Ne
-
Ne
by the
Ne
-
ver
mp
3
lane - side. mp
sink
by the
sink
3
3 3
lane - side.
3
by the
ver
lane - side.
sink
-
3
3
sink
ver sink, Ne - ver sink by the
ver
mf
mp
mf
5:4
mp
3 3
mf
Ne
3
and you.
Ne - ver
this
ah
mp T.2 ah B.2
will light up
mp
5:4
p
3
lane - side.
poco rit.
T. Solo 50
T.1
B.1
mf
3
by the
lane
5:4
3
-
-
-
p poco a poco dim.
mm
T.2
B.2 mp poco a poco dim.
mm
pp poco a poco dim.
side.
mm
Julian Philips studierte Musik am Emmanuel College in Cambridge. Seine Kompositionen sind bei führenden Festivals und in renommierten Häusern erklungen, darunter die BBC Proms, das Tanglewood Music Festival, Welsh National Opera und das Opernfestival im englischen Glyndebourne. Philips ist ein bedeutender Opernkomponist, und seinen Schaffen umfasst die Bühnenwerke Followers, The Yellow Sofa sowie Knight Crew (2010), ein Auftragswerk für Glyndebourne auf ein Libretto von Nicky Singer. Zwei Kammeropern, Dolffin und Wild Cat, entstanden im Auftrag der Welsh National Opera. Zu weiteren Werken gehören zwei Ballette für das English National Ballet, nämlich Les Liaisons Dangereuses und The Snow Queen. Julian Philips ist „Honorary Fellow“ der Guildhall School of Music, wo er 2004 zum Leiter der Kompositionsabteilung ernannt wurde. Außerdem lehrte er in Cambridge.
Edition Peters No. 71031
w w w.e d i t i o n p e t e r s .c o m
Reach for Andromeda
Julian Philips studied music at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and his compositions have been performed at major festivals and venues including the Proms, the Tanglewood Music Festival, Welsh National Opera and Glyndebourne. A significant composer of operatic music, Philips’ work includes Followers, The Yellow Sofa, and Knight Crew (libretto by Nicky Singer) commissioned by Glyndebourne (2010). Welsh National Opera commissioned two chamber operas, Dolffin and Wild Cat. Other works include two ballets for English National Ballet Les Liaisons Dangereuses and The Snow Queen. Julian Philips is Honorary Fellow of, and was made Head of Composition at, the Guildhall School of Music in 2004. He has also taught at Cambridge.
PHILIPS
Julian Philips