Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

The Rotary Movement encouraged and supported the work, which interposes anthems extolling peace with an exposition of the life of Sir John Monash, his Australia and his Australians. Since its premiere, a French version work has been commissioned by Rotary in France and was premiered in 2018, rescored for concert band, reduced in size from twenty-nine numbers to sixteen and scope from four soloists to two. The choral forces remain unchanged.

Work Details

Year: 2016

Instrumentation: Soprano soloist, alto soloist, baritone soloist, bass soloist, children's choir (SA), SATB choir, 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (2nd doubling cor anglais), 2 clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet), 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, bass trombone, timpani, percussion (1 player), strings.

Duration: 90 min.

Difficulty: Advanced — Choral - Moderate difficulty community/primary school level. Solo vocal parts - professional opera/concert singers. Orchestral - professional or conservatorium-standard players.

Contents note: 1. Let there be peace (choir, children, soloists) -- 2. Have joy, you who promote peace (soloists) -- 3. Jerilderie (children) -- 4. Dearest wife (baritone solo) -- 5. The Landing [Gallipoli] (men's choir] -- 6. Eternal One, grant us Your peace (choir, children) -- 7. Not for King, but Country (bass solo) -- 8. Grace Wilson (soprano solo) -- 9. Eternal One, grant us peace (choir) -- 10. The pink telegram (choir, soloists) -- 11. Have joy (reprise) (soloists) -- 12. Do good – prospera crescat laude (choir) -- 13. Monash at university (choir, baritone solo) -- 14. Do good – truth and fairness (children, baritone solo) -- 15. Bravo, Sir John (mezzo-soprano solo) -- 16. Peacemakers who sow in peace (soloists) -- 17. We honour John Monash the engineer (soloists) -- 18. Blessed are the peacemakers (choir) -- 19. War loomed in Europe (choir, children) -- 20. Monash soliloquy (baritone solo) -- 21. When we win this war (choir, bass solo) -- 22. Our little town (children) --23. Hamel (soloists) -- 24. Zero eight, zero eight (choir, soloists) -- 25. Monash letter (choir, soloists) -- 26. What relief (soloists) -- 27. Arise, Sir John (bass solo) -- 28. The Eterna’s face is turned to you (children) -- 29. Finale (choir, children, soloists).

Commission note: Commissioned with funds provided by Robert Salzer Foundation.. Project inspired by the Rotary Club of Melbourne, managed by More Than Opera Ltd and funded by private benefaction and grants from the Robert Salzer Foundation.

First performance: by Lisa Anne Robinson, Kristen Leich, Michel Laloum, Eddie Muliaumaseali'i, David Kram — 9 Sep 17. Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne VIC

The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc associated with this work:
The work references nineteenth and early twentieth century styles. Some of the children's songs reflect folk and gospel idioms.

Individual numbers from the score can be obtained.