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CD

Phoenix and the turtle : music of Australian composers.

Version: This product features the Solo Piano version of this work

Library shelf no. CD 158 [Available for loan]

$52.73

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Score

The vision of Mary MacKillop / music & text by Miriam Hyde ; orchestrated for chamber ensemble by Edward Primrose

Library shelf no. 783.12524/HYD 1 [Available for loan]

Format	Title	Version	AMC Library	Price
Score	The vision of Mary MacKillop / music & text by Miriam Hyde ; orchestrated for chamber ensemble by Edward Primrose 1 facsimile score (34p. -- A4 (portrait)) Published by Australian Music Centre — 2010 Library shelf no. 783.12524/HYD 1	Duos: Soprano, tenor with chamber ensemble	Available for loan	$52.73	Add to cart
CD	Phoenix and the turtle : music of Australian composers. 1 CD (71 min.) Published by Jade Records — 1993 [JADCD1039] Library shelf no. CD 158	Solo Piano	Available for loan	$16.36	Add to cart
Score	The vision of Mary Mackillop : for piano solo, with optional vocal parts / Miriam Hyde. 1 score (12p. -- A4 (portrait)) Published by Wirripang — January, 2016 [979 0 720164 42 7] Library shelf no. 786.2/HYD 31	Solo Piano	Not for loan	$18.18	Add to cart
CD	Vision of Mary MacKillop / Miriam Hyde. 1 CD (48 min.) Published by Jade Records — 4 July, 2007 [JADCD1114] Library shelf no. CD 1809	Solo Piano	Not for loan	$POA
CD	The Colin Sapsford years 1936-1980, Christchurch Saint Laurence, Sydney, Australia. 1 CD (64 min.) Published by Jade Records — 8 January, 2007 [JADCD1112] Library shelf no. CD 1790	Solo Piano	Available for loan	Out of Print

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Work Overview

Miriam Hyde spoke of sharing the birthdate of Mary MacKillop (15^th January-1913 and 1842 respectively) and that this discovery led her to enter the latter's mission through music. The result is a hybrid work with the current title, begun in 1992 in Oxford and completed and performed in 1993 in Sydney. It was written for solo piano with seven instances of dramatic recitative style vocal writing and touching upon certain aspects of Mary MacKillop's life. The work was unpublished and comes to us in Miriam Hyde's own handwritten score as well as her own solo piano recording. Its form suggests some relationship to oratorio.

Following the composer's suggestion for an orchestrated version, the work was arranged for a chamber ensemble plus two singers.

Some containment was necessary in respect to tempi, for what is quite logical in a solo piano performance with all its expressive rubato is not necessarily transferable to the dynamics of an ensemble.

Miriam Hyde made her own notes regarding the bell tolls. She speaks of one of her examiners, Dr Basil Johnson, who showed the 14 year old composer a combination of three notes that he considered aptly represented a Church bell (A, G# and C).

The composer has used this chord at the opening to 'suggest religious connotations early in Mary's childhood.' The chord is featured in different transpositions, returning to its original pitch at the end. The text, also written by the composer, is referred to as 'spoken music.'

Work Details

Year: 1992, this version: 2007

Instrumentation: Flute (doubling piccolo, small bell), oboe, clarinet in B flat (doubling bass clarinet in B flat), horn, piano, soprano, tenor, 2 violins, viola, cello double bass.

Duration: 9 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Dedication note: Dedicated to Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart

Commission note: Commissioned by Rev. Dr Arthur Bridge for performance by Ars Musica Australis.

First performance: by Edward Primrose, Deborah Riedel, Paul Ferris, James Muir, Christine Draeger, Joseph Hanic, Francesco Celata, Ben Jacks, Natsuko Yoshimoto, Fiona Ziegler, Jeremy Williams, Patrick Murphy, Alex Henery — 17 Aug 08. Shore School Auditorium, North Sydney

Arranged for chamber ensemble by Edward Primrose.