Edward McGuire: Moonsongs [download]

Work for soprano and double bass composed 1979, duration 10 mins. First performed by Jane Manning and Barry Guy, Budapest 1980.

Settings of poems by Sandor Wëores, Miroslav Holy, Pablo Neruda, Federico Garcia Lorca, Lu Hsun.

The poems I choose 5 poets, who share many common outlooks, dealing with the imagery of the moon in different aspects, from the mysterious light it casts on abandoned human. habitation in the Wëores (this reminded me of the Highland Clearances - the ruins of many derelict farmsteads still stand) through a gradual descent into human society and on to the bitter images of death. The songs are framed by the Wëores, opening with the English translation and ending with the original Hungarian. (Edward McGuire)

Photocopy of handwritten score (28p) scanned to pdf for immediate download.