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When Dreams Collide (2001) |
For narrator, chorus and orchestra - c.16'
In 1961 Susan and Walter Evershed gathered together a group of young musicians to rehearse and perform music over a summer weekend in Sussex. When Dreams Collide was commissioned for the occasion of Susan Evershed's 80 th birthday and the 40 th anniversary of the Music Weekend in 2001. The rehearsals culminated in a concert at a local Sussex church and raised money for a local charity. These gatherings took place at The Old Rectory at Tillington which later became a home and workplace for people with learning disabilities. The Music Weekend 2001 was to celebrate and raise money for the Aldingbourne Country Centre, an organisation that provides quality services for people with learning disabilities.
When I was asked to compose a new work for Music Weekend 2001 I was told that Susan Evershed was a great fan of the poet Edward Thomas and would be delighted if I used some of his poetry in the new work. The poems of Edward Thomas (1878-1917) were not well known to me so I read through his complete collection over a weekend. Much of it conjures up lovely images of the English countryside and nature, but I found myself drawn to his darker works. Edward Thomas was killed at the Battle of Arras in 1917 and the images I liked best were those influenced by the tragic conflict that engulfed him. I was immediately drawn to the Trumpet and Lights Out , two works which inspired latitude for an unusual musical setting.
When I contacted Faber & Faber for permission to use the poems I was told that Edward Thomas's youngest daughter, Myfanwy, now 90, was the person to ask. I was delighted when she telephoned me and told me how excited she was that I wanted to set her father's poetry.
When Dreams Collide is in two parts; the first, a setting of the Trumpet and the second, Lights Out . I decided to use each of Thomas's poems as spoken words rather than sung. I felt it was perhaps more powerful to keep his rhyme scansion intact and not obscure some of the wonderful images by stretching the poetic lines out in a melodic setting. For the transitions between sections and movements, however, I chose a more conventional tack. The chorus sings in its traditional role, but with texts I wrote inspired by Thomas's poetry.
In the autumn of 2002 I revised some of the orchestra/vocal material and reduced the role of four reciters to one narrator.
Notes © Stephen Montague