The Hours

My first encounter with Philip Glass in 2011 was truly one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.As a harpist I feel greatly privileged to have such new experiences – not only on stage, but alsobehind the scenes. Collaboration with composers is an important aspect of this, and new ideasnot infrequently arise through personal encounters and mutual inspiration. This was certainly thecase when I met Phil, who had never before heard his Metamorphosis live on the harp.

The midnight murder of a rancher and his wife leaves circumstantial evidence pointing the finger of guilt toward a married couple, George Braden and his wife Ellen, who live and work on the ranch.

This recording made by the Royal Holloway Choir celebrates the music of Ben Parry. His compositions and arrangements include the popular Faber Carol Book and a burgeoning catalogue of choral music for Peters Edition and Oxford University Press.He has enjoyed commissions from, among others, St John’s College, Cambridge, The Cathedral Choral Society of Washington DC, VOCES8, the BBC Singers, Chelmsford, Ely, Norwich and Worcester cathedrals and his music has been heard at the BBC Proms and on the TV and radio.In this recording, he sets the words of poems by Garth Bardsley, who says of Ben’s work, “all of my poems stand alone but given the Parry treatment, I know that they take flight.”The Choir of Royal Holloway is considered to be one of the finest mixed-voice collegiate choirs in Britain. Their recordings on the Hyperion label have attracted top reviews from all major music publications.

However, as Beethoven biographer Barry Cooper suggests, the composer also sensed beyond monetary compensation the perennial power of the folk-melody and the potential ensuing benefit of his own musical association with the project, so as to create with Thomson a folksong movement for future generations.Beethoven delivered the challenging arrangements and Thomson struggled to sell them, asking Beethoven if he could simplify his arrangements. Beethoven’s wonderfully dusty response was “I am not accustomed to retouching my compositions: I have never done so, certain of the truth that any partial change alters the character of the composition. I am sorry that you are the loser, but you cannot blame me, since it was up to you to make me better acquainted with the taste of your country and the little facility of your performers.”