COMPOSER’S NOTE

These two new arrangements of my original choral work Quanta Qualia were created by the gifted harpist Eleanor Evans for Pedal Harp and Lever Harp

The original version for solo soprano and SATB choir first appeared on my debut album Blue in Blue in 2004.  It was subsequently recorded by Hayley Westenra for her Number-One-selling album Odyssey and, in 2014, Patrick was approached by Voces8 to produce a version for them with saxophone which featured on their Number-One-selling album Eventide.

The words, by my brother Andrew, express a heartfelt longing for the joys of heaven – a happiness to be shared in a future moment of meeting.  The ecstasy of this moment is certainly underlined by the soprano line, with the repetition of key words ‘mane‘, ‘gaudia‘ and ‘conventus‘ deepening the intensity of the yearning for bliss.

From 2006-2007 I was Classic FM’s composer in residence, and was commissioned to write twelve calming pieces for piano.  For the resulting album – Towards The Light – I also arranged a piano version of Quanta Qualia as a bonus track.