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Psalm 147
Sumsion in G
James Weeks: Glossa
James Weeks
The Structure of GLOSSA:
Glossa is a simple alternation of essentially unchanging refrains and more texturally-diverse verses. The verses are made out of lines of extremely restricted pitches and rhythms (typical for me), grouped into bundles of up to six voices. The refrains are very quiet and densely chromatic, requiring each singer to select his/her own pitch within certain limits. They are chordal and will probably remind some people of similar chordal invocations in works by Taverner and the Eton Choirbook masters. I think any indeterminate notation ofers performers a diferent way of engaging with a piece, which I fnd they usually appreciate! Here I want a dense series of chords (actually, the singers could by chance end up on the same note, or just white pitches, but it’s fairly safe to assume they won’t!) and I want them to be surprising and interesting to the singers as they do it. There is a special quality, a special aliveness and fragility to sounds which are being improvised in the moment, which I fnd very attractive. In contrast to their clustery sonorities the verses are harmonically barer and quite dark-coloured – all based on the pole of D.
James Weeks
From Choir and Organ Magazine:
- Full interview available in Choir & Organ July/August magazine (pp.54-55)
- Score available to download
