This was not a standard concert concert of music; the music was presented as part of a three-day academic conference, “Collecting Byron: A Conference in Celebration of the Byron Society Collection.” The collection is housed at Drew University.

My piece was performed in the setting of a lecture, “Musical Byron.” The lecturer was my colleague Robert Butts, who spoke on aspects of Romanticism that are shared in the disciplines of music and poetry. Examples were cited from from Romantic giants such as Beethoven and Verdi, along with, of course, Lord Byron. Musical examples were performed live, employing pieces from the age of Byron on through to a slightly later age (Verdi). My piece represented a modern take on “Musical Byron.”

The venue was Mead Hall at Drew University in Madison, NJ. The superb performers were Emily Clare Thompson, soprano; Stanichka Dimitrova, violin; Nancy Connell, cello; Andy Cap, piano. I should single out the singer, Emily, a specialist in English literature. It was her encouragement that led me to write this song cycle in the first place!

Here are a few pictures. Click for a larger view.

Mead Hall, Drew University

“Musical Byron” program

Emily Clare Thompson with the ensemble

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They performed my  Three Partings, a song cycle of three poems by Lord Byron. It was premiered a year ago in New Jersey with different singers in the different songs, but this year it was performed as a whole song cycle. It was a marathon concert at Mannes College of Music, with many of the school’s composers (alumni and faculty) contributing pieces to the afternoon.

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There will be several premieres, including my “Ah! Are You Digging on My Grave?” based on the Thomas Hardy poem (see rehearsal pic here). Also, “Three Partings” which is based on three poems of Lord Byron, and lastly (but not leastly), “Amid the Blinding Snow” which is based on Elizabeth Siddal’s poem, “Worn Out.”

Also on the bill will be music by Kevin McCarter and Robert W. Butts.

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