english 
deutsch 
français 
I saw Eternity
Product Details
Description
This setting of the familiar opening lines of Henry Vaughan’s 'The World' was Lucy Walker's first commission as Composer-in-Residence with St Martin’s Voices, and was premiered by the ensemble in June 2023 at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London. The piece represents the beginning of the composer choir's collaborative journey. Beginning with a gentle, almost tentative melody, the music intensifies, evolving into a shimmering central motif, which explores more intense tonal colours and circling melodies to reflect the text (‘like a great ring of pure and endless light’). This builds to a climactic return of the opening line ‘I saw Eternity’, expansive and glorious in its reiteration, spanning the full range of the voices. As lines of text and melodies weave together, all the musical strands become intertwined. The piece draws to a close, and the full texture gradually is distilled, fading to a single pitch – encompassing ‘eternity’ as both an expansive concept and as a singularity of sound. This setting would suit experienced choirs as an anthem or versatile concert piece.
More Information
Technical Details
More from this series
The Boosey & Hawkes Contemporary Choral Series combines music from well-established figures such as James MacMillan, Karl Jenkins, and Einojuhani Rautavaara and the finest emerging choral composers of our time including Thomas Hewitt Jones, Joseph Phibbs, Will Todd and Gareth Treseder.
Diverse in terms of theme and mood, with works suitable for a variety of festive and commemorative occasions, both sacred and secular, this series provides an exciting collection of contemporary works for choirs of all types, voicings and abilities.
Spanning many different styles including the jazz-influenced world of Will Todd’s Jazz Carols and Iain Farrington’s The Blues Service, the tranquil beauty of James MacMillan’s Ave Maris Stella, and the energetic jubilation of Gareth Treseder’s Blessed be that Maid Marie, the series provides a wealth of new music, perfect for choirs looking to expand their horizons and explore new repertoire.
