Huw Watkins

In My Craft Or Sullen Art

Setting Dylan Thomas's evocative yet humble poem 'In my craft or sullen art', Watkins conjures up a beautifully introspective introduction with the use of a simple quintuplet motif which is later transformed into a reflective coda. The main body of the work comprises of two contrasting settings of the poem separated by an extended passage for quartet alone giving the opportunity for some virtuosic and expressive string writing. Commissioned by Nicholas and Judith Goodison, 'In my craft or sullen art' is the final piece in a series of works they commissioned for voice and string quartet.