4.
ANDREW DOWNES PUBLISHED
WORKS
CANTATAS
Soloists with piano accompaniment:-
THE DEATH OF GOLIATH Opus 17 (1978) 20' View
Score
Dramatic Cantata for soprano, high counter-tenor/mezzo-soprano and baritone
soloists with piano.
Libretto by Cynthia and Andrew Downes.
Wife of Goliath soprano
David high counter-tenor/mezzo-soprano
Goliath baritone
Commissioned for the 200th anniversary of St.Paul's
Church, Hockley, Birmingham, in 1979.
First performance by Catherine James as wife of Goliath, Michael Dowding as Goliath, Andrew Downes
as David, and Malcolm Wilson, piano, on January 10th 1979 at
Birmingham Conservatoire; second performance by the same artists broadcast from
St. Paul's Church, Hockley, on BBC Radio on June 3rd 1979.
This work has since been performed by student groups from Birmingham
Conservatoire.
'This is a work of consequence, strongly dramatic in content and constructed
with an admirable economy which in no way detracts from its emotional impact.'
THE BIRMINGHAM POST
Soloists with choir and piano
accompaniment:-
CAIN AND ABEL Opus 21 (1981)
20' View
Score
Dramatic Cantata in the style of a Greek tragedy, for alto and bass soloists,
SATB chorus and piano.
Libretto by Cynthia and Andrew Downes.
Conscience of Adam treble soloist & SATB chorus
Cain alto
Adam bass/baritone
Commissioned to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the Midland
Boy Singers in 1981.
First performed on 22nd August 1981 in the Kaiser Willhelm Gedachtniskirche,
Berlin, on the choir's tour of Germany.
Subsequent performances by the Midland Boy Singers in
their home-town, Walsall, and by students at Birmingham Conservatoire.
'Like all Downes' music, it was admirably conceived
for the medium.'
THE MUSICAL TIMES
A CHILD IS SINGING Opus 24 (1981) 20' View
Score
Dramatic Cantata about the horrors of nuclear war, for baritone soloist, SATB
chorus and piano.
Title and poem 'A Child is Singing' by Adrian Mitchell.
Additional words by an anonymous survivor of Hiroshima, and Cynthia and Andrew Downes.
General Giah baritone
Soldiers and Civilians SATB chorus
Commissioned by the Clarion Singers for their performances for CND and Amnesty
International. First performed by them on March 20th 1982 in Carrs Lane Church, Birmingham.
Soloists
with choir and orchestra:- See page 5
Soloists
with choir and string orchestra:- See page 6
Soloists
with choir and brass band:- See page 6