What is ‘thin-legged, leathery’, and born of a ‘half bird half bush’? The answer lies in renowned poet Alice Oswald’s intriguing Riddle, imaginatively set for SATB voices and piano by leading theatre composer, Russell Hepplewhite. A well-chosen array of dramatic techniques, including whispering, glissandos, pregnant pauses and excitable parlando, heighten the suspense leading to a climactic reveal in the middle of the piece. Hepplewhite’s lush harmonies and subtle lyricism pair superbly with Oswald’s wide-ranging and colourful imagery, making Riddle a requisite for any choir seeking to enrich and expand their contemporary repertoire.

Riddle is one of ten new poems commissioned and set to music by Russell Hepplewhite in his landmark choral anthology Living Voices, published by Stainer & Bell. See here for more information on the other pieces in the collection.