Score
The story of Keshovati : for solo flute & narration / words and music by Wendy Hiscocks.
Library shelf no. 788.32/HIS 1 [Available for loan]
Work Overview
The story of the Champa flower first came to my attention when I was setting Rabindranath Tagore's poem 'The Champa Flower' for a set of songs called Mother and Child. In Tagore's delightful poem he is a child who imagines what it would be like to change himself into a champa flower and hide from his mother. This aroused my curiosity about the importance of the champa flower itself, and when I enquired into its origins I was given two different verbal accounts of the Bengali folk tale, concerning the sons and daughter of a King and Queen who underwent a magical transformation into champa and parul flowers. It is possible to perform The Story of Keshovati without speaking the narrative, though in such a case it is suggested that the text be reproduced in the programme notes. The short musical phrase for the flower speech can also be replaced by a short passage in multiphonics of the performer's choice, for performers who are fluent in that technique.
Work Details
Year: 2002
Instrumentation: Flute, spoken voice (optional).
Duration: 10 min.
Contents note: 1. The king -- 2. The six queens -- 3. The separation -- 4. The reunion.
Written for: Mark Underwood
First performance: by Mark Underwood — 29 Nov 02. Reading, U.K.
Words by Wendy Hiscocks after a Bengali folk tale.
Each movement is preceded by a short narration. It is possible to perform the piece without speaking the narrative.
Subjects
- Inspired by: Folk music
Performances of this work
2 Apr 2009: at Low Flutes Recital (Music Auditorium, Monash University). Featuring Peter Sheridan.
29 Nov 02: Reading, U.K.. Featuring Mark Underwood.
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