Score
The uncertain song of a poet : (or 'Very Bananas'), for treble choir and wind ensemble / music by Richard Charlton ; words by Wendy Cope.
Library shelf no. 782.7542/CHA 5 [Available for loan]
Work Overview
Based on the Wendy Cope poem, The Uncertainty of the Poet. Cope wrote the poem in response to viewing a painting of the same name by surrealist artist Giorgio de Chirico depicting a torso of a statue and a hand of bananas! There are only eight unique words in the entire poem and it is a wonderful play on those words - perhaps a little 'dadaism' is also in evidence.
I have tried to elevate the "bananas" to the same level of a great "poet" with a part serious, part tongue-in-cheek setting. The piece may be performed with just voices and piano.
Work Details
Year: 2016
Instrumentation: Primary school choir(s) in three parts - SSA, piano, flute, oboe, clarinet in B flat, bassoon, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, horn in F, trumpet in B flat, trombone/keyboard, euphonium, percussion (3 players).
Duration: 4 min.
Difficulty: Medium
Commission note: Commissioned by Martin Smith for Sydney Grammar School St Ives Annual Presentation Day 2016
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