Peter Maxwell Davies

Tenebrae Super Gesualdo

Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, Cello, Glockenspiel, Guitar, Harpsichord, Marimba, Mezzo-Soprano, Viola, Violin, Celeste

Davies discovers aspects of himself in examining one of his most troubled predecessors. That discovery can take place either on his home ground (in the mezzo-soprano version, writen for The Fires of London), or with chorus singing Gesualdo's O Vos Omnes and repeatedly falling silent so that the musical argument may continue on a different plane, that of Davies's four meditations for sextet, murmuring darkly about Gesualdo's ideas. The viola doubles the violin and the glockenspiel doubles the marimba. The harpsichord is doubled by the celeste, chamber organ or harmonium.
Duration c. 20mins.