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, Christmas 1974.
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’ - Hallowe’en, 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 Midlands 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. O
ù est Lyon?6. Questioning the Clouds
CD with synthesised sounds and vocal parts added by Paula Downes, soprano, available for use by schools.