Aloud

Aloud was written with the want to explore drive and energy between the violin and orchestra. As a former violinist, I had the idea of writing something lively for the pairing for quite some time.

Whilst writing Aloud, I was also disturbed by world events, namely the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine - countries that I have close familial links with.

With the latter on my mind, I was drawn to an old Cossack folk song 'Чёрный Ворон' (transliterated as 'Cherniy Voron', meaning Black Raven). The song begins with lyrics that describe a raven circling above an injured Cossack, who says to the raven: "Why are you circling over me? Ever will your prey elude you. Black Raven, I am not yours".

Apart from being a beautiful folk song, the fighting spirit of the words resonated with me, because the plight and suffering of ordinary people is so often lost to the noise of political rhetoric.

A veiled form of the folk tune, which is heard at the very start of Aloud, becomes the kernal within my work for the struggle for life, and an energetic musical opposition to the scourge of war.

– Daniel Kidane