Seven Face Pictures is a setting of Caroline Bird’s ‘Facial’, a cycle of wonderfully evocative poetic vignettes, each based on a different feature. Each movement is strongly characterised, from the solemn prayer of ‘Eyes’ to the strong rhythmic profile of ‘Lips’ and the acceleration/deceleration vortex of ‘Nose’. The structure is symmetrical, with the instrumental texture thinning out towards the middle, leaving just the lone voice to sing the central movement.
The work is dedicated to Caroline Bird.
Performances:
14 October 2014
Trio Atem, St Ann’s Church, Manchester, UK
2 June 2013
Trio Atem, Nip & Tipple, Manchester, UK
3 February 2012
Trio Atem, Bridgewater Hall Foyer, Manchester, UK
4 November 2011
Members of Opera Viscera, Birmingham Conservatoire Recital Hall, Birmingham, UK
7 October 2011
Trio Atem, International Anthony Burgess Institute, Manchester, UK
13 January 2011
Trio Atem, Cosmo Rodewald Hall, Manchester, UK
World premiere
World premiere
Instrumentation
mezzo soprano, flute & cello
Duration
13 mins
Year
2010