Carols Composer #2: The Carols of Judith Weir

 Carols Composer #2: Judith Weir

Compiled by Ray Rojas

*See the first part of our series on Christmas carol composers: The Carols of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

As you know we are going down the list of composers who have been commissioned by King's College to write a carol for their Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 

We've decided to alternate between male and female composers and this one is special because if we are correct, she is the only composer to be commissioned twice. Weir was the first female to be commission and the third overall. Her first was "Illuminare Jerusalem" in 1985. Her second commission was "O Mercy Divine" in 2018.

Weir is also the current as well as the first female Master of the Queen’s Music. Born in Cambridge, England, she studied with John Tavener at North London Collegiate School and with Robin Holloway at King’s College, Cambridge. Best known for her operas she has also written works for orchestra and chamber works. She became the Master of the Queen’s Music in 2014, succeeding Peter Maxwell Davies.

Her first King's College commission, "Illuminare Jerusalme" was adapted from the Bannatyne manuscript in John MacQueen; Winifred MacQueen (1972), A Choice of Scottish Verse, 1470–1570. Here' is the Choir of King's College:

You can also watch a retrospective on the carol in this video:

Her "Ave Regina Caelorum" (2014), here performed by the Cambridge Chorale under Owain Park:

On Wise Classical Music's webpage, this piece is described:

"This very short setting of a text associated with the Matins service at Advent was written in 1983 and first performed by the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, as part of the very beautiful Advent Carol Service held every year in Trinity College Chapel. The music has a plainsong-like shape (although not based on any real plainsong) and swells from unison to 8-part harmony and back again within a couple of minutes’ music."

"Drop Down, Ye Heavens, from Above" (1984), here sung by the Ora Singers:

I've also seen it go by the name "Advent Prose." Here is the Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge:

"Holy Innocents" (2016), here performed by Vox Feminina:

"Commissioned through the generosity of the St Albans Ex-Choristers Association to mark the 20th Anniversary of St Albans Abbey Girls Choir. First performance given by the choir at Evensong on 25th June 2016, conducted by Tom Winpenny. Christina Rossetti (1830-94)"

        (Wise Music)

As stated above, "O Mercy Divine" was the 2018 commission for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge. It premiered on December 24, 2018. The text is by Charles Wesley:

"Guardian Angel" below is performed by the Ora Singers. The text reads "The Angel that presided o’er my birth Said, “Little creature, form’d of Joy and Mirth, Go love without the help of anything on Earth. Alleluia." I've also seen it called "Alleluia":

"Guardian Angel"

Here is Kammerkoor JIP:

"Alleluia"

Weir also has written a "Magnificat and Nunc Dimittas":

Magnificat

Nunc Dimmitas

Not necessary a Christmas song, "True Light" was commissioned by the Choir of Westminster Abbey for a Service to mark the Centenary of the Armistice (WWI). You be the judge. Here is the text:

"The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever. Let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed and delivered from the hand of the enemy; and gathered from out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south."

"True Light"

Some none-choral works: her Three Chorales for Cello and Piano has a piece in it call "Angel Bending Near the Earth":

There is also a string composition called "Winter Song" (2006) that I could not find a video for. The same goes for Weir's "Ave Maria Stella." When I search for it, I get every other composer's "Ave Maria Stella" but Weir's. 

Another piece called "Leaf from Leaf Christ Knows," "...was given its first performance by the Choir of Wells Cathedral, James Kealey (organ) and Matthew Owens (conductor), during the festival new music wells 76–16, on Thursday 20th October 2016. It was commissioned by Cathedral Commissions of Wells Cathedral with the generous support of private donors" (Wise Music). Text is by Christina Rosseti. We could not find a video of this.

There is also a piece called "Little Tree" which was commissioned by the Young People's Chorus of New York City for Transient Glory. We could not find a video for this. (Wise Music).

We also could not find a video for Weir's arrangement of "O Viridissima" (2015). 

This work was written as a gift for the Late Music Concert Series and was first performed by the Albany Trio on 6th June 2015. O Viridissima is a realisation/recomposition of Hildegard of Bingen’s monodic hymn, O Viridissima Virga (‘O greenest branch’). Hildegard’s melody (slightly ornamented) is heard throughout, on violin, cello or both, whilst simultaneously undergoing registral and timbral variations. Towards the end a simple tonality emerges from the pitches of the melody.

 (Wise Music)

Weir has a prolific YouTube presence with many interviews about composing. VocalEssence's Phillip Brunelle put out a video on Weir:

Weir has an active webpage and blog: https://www.judithweir.com.

See the first part of our series on Christmas carol composers: The Carols of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

 

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