10.
ANDREW DOWNES PUBLISHED
WORKS
CHORAL FOR CHILDREN
BALLADS FOR CHRISTMAS - see under CHORAL
Accompanied (Page 9)
ODYSSEUS AND THE CYCLOPS Opus 25 (1981) 35' View
Score
An opera in 3 parts for baritone soloist, child soloists and choir, school
orchestra, and piano (teacher's part).
Libretto by Cynthia and Andrew Downes.
Participants:
Polyphemus, the Cyclops ----- baritone
Odysseus --------------------- treble
Four Men --------------------- trebles
Odysseus' Men --------------- trebles and altos
Chorus of Elders-------------- trebles and altos
Main Choir ------------------- trebles and altos
Piano-------------------------- teacher’s part
Marching Band ---------------- recorders, melodicas,
drum, tambourines
Orchestra---------------------- recorders, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons,
horns, trumpets, trombones, strings, percussion.
This children’s opera was commissioned by the Rugby Schools Music Association
with funds made available by West Midlands Arts. The first performances were
given in the Temple Speech Room, Rugby School, on 25th and 26th May 1982, by
300 children from 28 Middle Schools in the Rugby area and members of the Rugby
Schools Orchestra, with Tom Cowhig as the baritone
soloist and Mary Littlemore, piano. The performances were directed by Valerie Brodie and Gwen Proudlock and
previewed on BBC Television.
Subsequent performances by Schools in Hagley
(Worcs) and Windsor High School, Halesowen.
The choral parts are for children of Middle School age and the instrumental
parts also for Middle School age, augmented by more experienced older players.
'A pageant of Myth and Music, a musical possibility for any
enterprising and skilled school orchestra and chorus.'
THE TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT
The opera takes as its theme a freely adapted version of the ‘Cyclops' story
from Homer’s Odyssey. The central character is Polyphemus,
the Cyclops, who, in the original story, was described as an enormous monster
with one eye in the middle of his forehead. In this version, however, he is
made to be an ordinary, if tall, human being disfigured by some accident in his
past. This slight alteration makes him, in the composer’s view, a more
dramatically acceptable figure, whose very humanity deepens his tragic
situation.
THE STORY:
PART 1 The crowds await the arrival of the Council of
Elders, who are to decide the fate of the unsightly half blind figure of Polyphemus. The Islanders want to be rid of him. Polyphemus rejects the possibility of solitary banishment
as being worse then death itself. The Elders suggest
using Polyphemus as their protector and guardian of
the island: “With his ugliness and strength he will repel any invaders.” The
islanders like the idea, and proclaim him as their hero and champion. INTERLUDE
I - the contented, protected islanders are unaware of Odysseus’ army sailing
towards them.
PART 2 Odysseus and his army land and make merry in Polyphemus'
cave with his food and wine. When Polyphemus
discovers this, he rolls a vast rock across the cave entrance thus making them
his prisoners.
The cunning Odysseus gradually gets Polyphemus into a
drunken stupor, and when asked his name, replies 'Nobody'. When Polyphemus is asleep - swiftly and viciously Odysseus and
his men heat up a spear and put out his only eye. He is now blind, but the
soldiers still cannot escape from the cave. The Elders, roused by Polyphemus' cries of agony, ask from a distance, if and by
whom he has been hurt. He replies that 'Nobody' has put out his eye, and they
go away, believing that if nobody has hurt him all must be well! Polyphemus is now totally abandoned, and sinks into
despair. INTERLUDE II - throughout the night Polyphemus
keeps watch over his prisoners.
PART 3 As dawn breaks, the blind Polyphemus lets his
flock of sheep out of an inner cave and moves the stone a little to allow the
sheep out. Hiding amongst them go Odysseus and his
men. Once outside, they taunt him and disappear to safety. Polyphemus
now feels a total failure, but the Islanders reappear, relieved that the
invaders have been repelled.
They welcome him, acknowledging his total sacrifice, and reassure him of their
love and care.
CHRISTMAS CANTATA Opus 4 (1974) 15'
Cantata in 7 short movements for young voices (SATB) and school orchestra.
First performed by pupils at Thames Valley Grammar School,
Twickenham, directed by Andrew Downes, on December 6th
1974.
Arrangements, by Cynthia Downes, of individual movements have been performed on numerous occasions by musicians in Worcestershire.
SONGS OF AUTUMN Opus 85 (2003) 17' View Score
A musical journey, during October, to different parts of the world -for
children's voices with instrumental ensemble or CD
Commissioned by Symphony Hall, Birmingham, for first performance on 13th October 2003 by 1200 children from Birmingham schools, with instrumentalists from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore. Subsequent performers of the work include children from Lichfield schools, conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore, at the Lichfield Festival in July 2004; choristers and instrumentalists from South Hampstead High School for Girls (London), conducted by Paula Downes, in November 2003 and November 2004; and Birmingham schoolchildren with the Central England Ensemble, conducted by David Gaukroger, in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, in November 2004. First USA performance directed by Paula Downes. Instrumental arrangements of the songs, by Cynthia Downes, are available, and have been performed by instrumentalists in Worcestershire.
6 songs:-
1. Autumn setting of poem by Florence Hoatson (the arrival of Autumn)
2. Carnival setting of traditional poem from Trinidad (tropical weather, monsoon, hurricanes, general excitement, World Beat and Sea Festivals)
3. The Mid Autumn Moon setting of poem (adapted) by Li Qiao (China: Moon Festival)
4. The Cottager and her Infant setting of poem by Dorothy Wordsworth (Celtic Europe: Samhain - Halloween, damp and misty, darkness coming)
5. Feast of Lights setting of poem by Gouri V. Kalambi (India: Navratri - festival time - Diwali)
6. Autumn Song setting of poem by Margaret Rose (the end of Autumn)
CD with synthesised sounds and vocal parts added by Paula Downes, soprano, available for use by schools.
SONGS OF THE SKIES Opus 88 (2005) 19'
Celebrating British Airways in Europe -for young voices with chamber orchestra
or
CD
Poetry by schoolchildren coached by Julie Boden
Commissioned by Symphony Hall, Birmingham, with financial assistance from British Airways, for first performance on 3rd October 2005, by over a thousand children from Birmingham schools, with the Central England Ensemble, conducted by the composer. Subsequent performances have taken place in the UK and the USA.
6 songs:-
1. Lift your Eyes up to the Skies
2. We are Flying Out to Elmdon
3. Ghazal of Italy: Milan and Rome
4. In Barcelona
5. Où est Lyon?
6. Questioning the Clouds
CD with synthesised sounds and vocal parts added by Paula Downes, soprano, available for use by schools.