John Purser
John Purser | |
|---|---|
 John Purser at Scotland Music | |
| Born | 1942 (age 81–82) Glasgow, Scotland |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, musicologist, music historian, playwright |
| Notable work | Scotland's Music, Carver (play) |
John Purser (born 1942) is a Scottish composer, musicologist, and music historian. He is also a playwright.[1][2]
Purser was born in Glasgow. He initiated the reconstruction that commenced in 1991 of the Iron Age Deskford Carnyx, producing a replica that was first played in 1993 by trombonist John Kenny.[3]
Purser's book Scotland's Music,John Clerk of Penicuik[5] and John Thomson.
'Consider the Story', a privately released disc of Purser's music, was released in 2021. It includes the song cycle Six Sea Songs (1966, setting words by the composer's father J W R Purser), the Kalavrita string quartet (1981), and the Sonata for Trombone and Piano (2001).[6]
Purser's plays include the radio play O'Shea brothers.
Selected works
Stage
- The Undertaker, Opera (1969)
- The Bell, Opera
Radio
- Carver, BBC Radio 3 (31 March 1991)
- The Secret Commonwealth, BBC Radio 4 (14 December 1997)
Orchestral
- Intrada for Strings for string orchestra, Op. 17 (1966)
- Clydefair Overture (1972)
- Ane Gentill Chantecleir (1990)
- Bannockburn
- Epitaph
- Variations on an Irish Folk-Tune for string orchestra
Concertante
- Concertino for piano and orchestra (1986)
- Concerto for viola and string orchestra
Chamber music
- Sonata for flute and piano, Op. 11 (1964–1965)
- Dances of Ilion for clarinet and piano, Op. 24
- Suite for Unaccompanied Violin, Op. 29
- Three Studies for horn and piano (1976)
- Carrier Strike for piccolo, trumpet and harpsichord (1977)
- String Quartet Kalavrita (1981)
- Prelude and Toccata for guitar (1985)
- Sonata for cello and piano (1988)
- Sonata for violin and piano (1989)
- Skyelines I / II for tenor trombone and organ (1994)
- Skyeline III for string quartet (1995)
- Ave atque vale for trombone (1996)
- Lament for a Chickadee for carillon (1998)
- Sonata for Trombone and Piano (2002)
- In Memory of Michael Miles for flute solo (2005)
- Piobaireachd "Wai Taheke" for flute solo (2005)
- Puna for Taonga pūoro and bassoon (2005)
- Silver Reflections for cello and piano (2013)
- The Butterfly for flute, harp and organ
Keyboard
- Toccata for organ (1968, revised 2003)
- Clavier Sonata for chamber organ (or piano) (1974)
- Circus Suite for Nick for piano (1975)
Vocal
- Johnnie Faa, Variation 6 for soprano, flute, cello and harp (1988)
- The Seal of the City for soprano, tenor, bass, clarinet, trumpet, horn, percussion and organ (1996)
- Ave Atque Vale for alto and baritone
- Five Landscapes for voice and piano
- Love My Lewd Pilot for soprano, baritone, flute and piano; words by Edmund Spenser (2002)
- Lovely Molly for voice and piano
- Six Sea Songs for tenor and piano (1966)
- Throat for soprano, carnyx and percussion
Choral
- Magnificat for mixed chorus a cappella (1964)
- The Wren Boys for mixed chorus, 2 piccolos, string orchestra and organ (1983)
- Epithalamion for mixed chorus a cappella (1984)
- If All You Gave for mixed chorus a cappella
- Nunc Dimittis for mixed chorus a cappella
- Love in Season for mixed chorus a cappella
- Simplon Pass for mixed chorus a cappella
References
- ^ a b c cover notes from Scotland's Music CD
- ^ Sabhal Mòr Ostaig - News
- ^ The Carnyx, an Ancient Instrument Archived 2005-09-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 1-85158-426-9
- ^ John Clerk of Penicuik (1676-1755) Archived 2006-05-05 at the Wayback Machine, Concerto Caledonia
- ^ 'Consider the Story', reviewed at MusicWeb International
External links
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| Artists | |
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