For Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (Clarinet in A, Viola, Cello and Double Bass).
This extended version of a knot of time was commissioned by Faith Wilson. First performance on 10th OCtober at the CBSOCentre,Birmingham, by Sarah Leonard (Soprano) and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group conducted by Richard Baker.
''a knot of time' began its life in 1992 as a piece for the Composer's Ensemble for Clarinet, Viola,Celloand Bass with Mezzo Soprano. It was originally the title of only one setting using the poem 'Cada cancion' by Lorca. The tessitura of the vocal line always seemed generally too low for the music and there were also problemswiththe clarinet writing, so I changed the mezzo-soprano to soprano. I also felt that I should add more settings for the piece to have more of a life and so was thrilled when Faith Wilson asked me for some music to celebrate her60thbirthday in 2008. I decided immediately to add two more Lorca settings to this first setting. I wrote 'El grito' and 'El silencio' quite quickly in June 2008. I added 'Aire de Nocturno' in October of the same year, butstilldidn't feel that it was complete and so added a brief and rather explosive setting to close in April 2010; 'El puñal en el corazon'. The whole piece will be premiered in October 2010, with the soprano, Sarah Leonard, andmembersof the BCMG, eighteen years after the initial response to Lorca's texts.'
- Simon Holt
