Abstract
There is a mixture of the quirky and expressive in these 3 settings, written to celebrate the silver anniversary of Viva Voce.
'Silver Songs' were commissioned by Viva Voce, conductor John Rosser, for their 25th anniversary concert (their silver anniversary) on April 25, 2010. Two of the songs use poems written especially for the concert by New Zealand writer Michelanne Forster: Silverfish and Orapiu Night. The other song is a setting of Walter de la Mare's poem Silver.
The songs by Forster provide sharp contrasts of mood. 'Silverfish' is humourous, depicting the evil exploits of an insect in melodramatic fashion. 'Orapiu Night' was written in memory of singer, Dinah Wright, a close friend of the poet's who died of cancer, and includes a haunting refrain from a New Zealand bird, the Ruru (or morepork).
De le Mare's poem, 'Silver,' is a magical evocation of moonlight, and the music is underpinned by a gentle walking motion in the basses and tenors, and a reference to English folk music style.