Howard Goodall

Sure Of The Sky, Sure Of The Sun

Setting both English and German texts, Sure of the Sky, Sure of the Sun; Des Himmels sicher, der Sonne sicher is a haunting and moving reflection on the futility of war. The 5-minute piece for SATB choir and brass was premiered at one of the UK's three main World War I centenary commemoration events on 4 August 2014. It was launched by the London Symphony Chorus, Schleswig-Holstein Festival Chor and Coldstream Guards, at a twilight event attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, and a number of world leaders, all gathered together in the tiny woodland cemetery of St Symphorien near Mons, Belgium the resting place for the first and last British, and the last Commonwealth, soldiers to die on the Western Front.