Sighs of Sorrow

[Stephen Whiteside]

An email arrived in my inbox yesterday which seems especially relevant given the recent discussions about poetry and song.

The Adam Lindsay Gordon Society has been been searching for a way to bring Gordon's poetry to the attention of a both century audience, and the result is this 'song cycle' by Xavier Brouwer, "Sighs of Sorrow": http://www.sighsofsorrow.com/recordings.html

At first blush, it's not my type of music, but perhaps I should give it more of a chance.

Here is a fuller explanation of the background to the recording, as I received it:



Dear Members and Supporters of Adam Lindsay Gordon.
Australia's first poet of note.
The only Australian to be in The Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey.

This year we have two major works that have been produced by Australians for us to enjoy..
One is already on the market.

Sighs of Sorrow by Xavier Brouwer

http://www.sighsofsorrow.com/

Available for immediate purchase and download for your listening pleasure, at a cheap price, from:

http://www.cdbaby.com/

1 - Froth and Bubble
2 - Laudamus
3 - To My Sister
4 - The Romance of Britomarte
5 - An Exile's Farewell
6 - The Swimmer
7 - How We Beat the Favourite
8 - Visions in the Smoke
9 - Ashtaroth
10 - A Fragment
11 - Whisperings in Wattle-Boughs
12 - Quare Fatigasti
13 - Wormwood and Nightshade
14 - Thick-Headed Thoughts
15 - Froth and Bubble
Notes:
Sighs of Sorrow began when John Adams from the Adam Lindsay Gordon Commemorative Committee approached Xavier in 2010 during the national production of the musical MACKILLOP. John had noted that Father Woods, with whom Mary MacKillop had established her order of sisters, was a good friend of Adam Lindsay Gordon, Australia's first European poet of note. The Committee was also looking for ways to re-ignite interest in Gordon and his poetry, as despite having been very well known in the 20th century, they were now starting to slip out of the public consciousness.

The initial idea was to write a musical based on Gordon's poetry, however given the classical nature of his poems, Xavier felt that a chamber opera might be a more relevant style. After studying Gordon's poems thoroughly and using the expert resources of the ALG Commemorative Committee, Xavier came up with a shortlist of Gordon's introspective and emotional poems (as opposed to his romantic and horse-riding ones), as well as a story structure. The premise was to portray Gordon preparing for his self-inflicted end in the tea-trees at Brighton Beach (Melbourne), and as he did so for a series of flashbacks to illustrate the various setbacks in his life that would lead to the decision to ultimately take his own life.

After having set a number of Gordon's poems to music for tenor and piano, Xavier realised that the work was starting to sound like a turn-of-the-century song cycle (albeit with a modern edge). Xavier subsequently refreshed his knowledge of both the German and English tradition of lieder/song cycles (including Vaughan Williams) and decided that it would be easier to get a song cycle recorded and performed than a chamber opera (for which few production opportunities exist in Australia).

The Lieder Society of Victoria subsequently provided support in helping to find a singer who could do justice to the role of portraying Gordon. This singer turned out to be the up-and-coming Australian tenor, Daniel Todd, who had the requisite ability to make rapid switches between a soft, almost falsetto, high voice, and a heavy dramatic tone, and who had the stamina to sing what is quite a demanding and emotional song cycle.

Coupled with the talented repetiteur and up-and-coming conductor, Daniel Carter, this recording of the song cycle was made in 2013 at the Miechel Studios, Melbourne.

[manfredvijars]

Sorry Stephen, I can't see it making any of the charts.
Is there a "Country" version?

[Glenny Palmer]

MANFRED!!!

[Stephen Whiteside]

Well, yes, I agree entirely. I just thought it was interesting coming so soon on the heels of discussions about how to use music to make poetry relevant. Just not this sort of music, perhaps! (Still, it will appeal to some people.)

[Glenny Palmer]

I listened intently Stephen & with no offence to Mr Brouwer my feeling is that a female voice would suit much better....in particular perhaps Enya, or one of those angelic Celtic female voices?

[Stephen Whiteside]

That's interesting. It probably didn't occur to them to use a female voice. It would be a bit like the Woman from Snowy River, wouldn't it?

[manfredvijars]

... or the Sheila from Ironbark ...

[Stephen Whiteside]

…or the Dying Stockwoman.

[manfredvijars]

Clarissa of the Overflow ???

[Stephen Whiteside]

Mulga Betty's Bicycle.