Commissioned by the Stroud Festival, with funds provided by the South West Arts Association, to celebrate HRH the Princess Anne and her family taking up residence in the Cotswolds, near Stroud, this work was first performed by the Bristol Sinfonia, conducted by Sidney Sager, on October 12th 1978 in the Subscription Rooms, Stroud.
This suite is based on traditional Morris tunes prevalent in the Cotswolds at the turn of the 20th Century, and collected there by Cecil Sharp and others. Although the tunes themselves are left largely untouched, their implied harmonies and moods are treated more freely to create a balanced work for the concert hall. Numbers II, III and IV may recall more familiar variants since it is in the nature of folksong/dance for there to be more than one version when examples were transmitted, not always accurately, by word of mouth or note of pipe.
The six movements are: I.Wheatley Processional; II.Constant Billy; III.Brighton Camp; IV.Jockie to the fair; V.Ladies of Pleasure; VI.Princess Royal.
- ISMN: 9790222305458 (M222305458)