Three poems of W B Yeats (1973)
Choral suite for SATB, solo soprano, unaccompanied. Duration 8 mins.
One of the earliest of Bullard’s works to enter the choral repertoire. It was written for the chamber choir of Winchester School of Art (first performance, Winchester, 11 July 1974, conducted by Joyce Greenwood) and was subsequently taken up by many choirs and broadcast by the BBC Northern Singers, conductor Stephen Wilkinson, on BBC Radio 3. It sets three of Yeats’ best-known poems and shows a rich and colourful response to their heady and allusive character.
1. The Wild Swans at Coole – an evocative picture of swans on a lake, mirroring the ageing poet’s search for lasting beauty in a changing world.
2. Running to Paradise – the poet’s search for simplicity – the freedom that nobody can buy, the freedom of the open road, where the poor man and the rich man are equals – ‘there the king is but as the beggar’.
3. Sweet Dancer – a portrayal, based on reality, of a girl in the throes of a nervous breakdown, dancing to escape her imaginary world.
‘Worthwhile and rewarding…a sensitive awareness for words and rhythm’ – Choir and Organ
Printed copies are available to order from Colne Edition in the UK (minimum 5 copies, £3.75 per copy plus postage, delivery approximately two weeks).
Digital downloads / pdfs are available instantly, worldwide, from Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct minimum order 10 copies. (Prices are cheaper than print, but they vary, so do check both sites)
Hear and see the music with this scrolling score