COMPOSER’S NOTE

In 2012, I was very pleased to be asked by Decca Records to write a whole album on the theme of angels.  The resulting album – Angel – recorded with the Choir of New College Oxford and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, went straight in at Number One in the UK classical charts.

This is an a cappella setting of the opening words of the Angelus, an ancient Christian prayer dating from at least the 11th Century and I dedicated this work to Edward Higginbottom and the Choir of New College Oxford as a ‘thank you’ for the joy it gave me to work with them and for their expert performance on the album.

COMPOSER’S NOTE

This setting of the well-known text was written for the small but talented choir at the church where I worship in Norwich.  My aim was always to create a warm and intimate sound world which would reflect the prayerful and devotional feast of The Assumption of Our Lady.

The individual lines are not too demanding but performers must be fully aware of the occasional surprising change of tonality within the group as a whole.  Dynamic contrast is essential to the atmosphere, especially over the final five bars of the piece.

COMPOSER’S NOTE

The call of Christ to Come To Me is represented by gentle vocal phrases and an overall sense of yearning.  There is an atmosphere of weightlessness and calm to reflect the sentiment that Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden is light.

Though this is a profound text from the New Testament, I deliberately approached it in an understated way.  Choirs, therefore, should not be tempted to perform in an over-expressive manner.  Rather, they should allow the phrasing and harmony to speak for itself, thereby creating a feeling of innocence and simple truth.

Come To Me appeared on my album Revelation with the Elora Singers.

• Virga Jesse
• Puer Natus
• Nesciens Mater
• Gaudete Omnes

COMPOSER’S NOTE

These four motets aim to create a fresh and dramatic approach to well known ancient texts.  They are intended to be sung either as a complete set in the context of a concert or as individual items within a carol service or other liturgical setting.

Virga Jesse calls for an atmosphere of timelessness and deep prayer which may be made all the more meditative by the hushed alleluias.  Puer Natus should be an unabashed announcement to the world of the life-changing news of Christ’s birth, with the rhythmic propulsion and more explosive alleluias painting a scene of unrestrained celebration.  Nesciens Mater essentially pays homage to those great Renaissance polyphonists who paved the way of the major and minor key system. It was the expressive and uniquely characterful nature of the individual voice parts which not only gave their music life but also a profound spirituality, and it is hoped that something of this same spirituality is in evidence here.  After the opening unison ‘fanfare’ of Gaudete Omnes, the syncopated rhythms and agile melodic elements of the motet should pass freely between the voices, creating a sense of dialogue and, ultimately, elation.

COMPOSER’S NOTE

The jubilant fanfare rhythms of Hallelujah and the interaction of the two choirs creates a mood of joy – almost playfulness – but, above all, there is a sense of majesty as we are invited to rejoice and give Him the glory.

This is the seventh piece of the Revelation collection and is in many ways the climax of the whole work.  As with Worthy is the Lamb, these words are set by Handel in Messiah though my approach here is quite different.  The tempo is similar but the use of double choir provides exciting antiphonal effects and the word ‘Hallelujah’ is projected to the listener with a whole variety of phrasing and colour.  The section between bars 25 and 31 is the most technically challenging but is important in that it generates an almost ecstatic mood of praise.  Done well, this section is the perfect preparation for the piano statement of ‘Hallelujah’ in the next bar which in turn gives rise to the final triumphant exclamations of the word.

Click here for more information about the complete Revelation collection >

“Revelation … shows how inventive [Hawes] can be with harmony … moving lines in contrary motion to create crunchy dissonances then cleverly melding mellifluous modal melodies with bright tonal interjections … ” GRAMOPHONE

“There is no denying the beauty and immediate allure of Hawes’s writing.  Revelation has considerable attractiveness and appeal … the mood is enraptured [with] a dramatic and visionary quality.” CHURCH TIMES

COMPOSER’S NOTE

A gentle and thoughtful piece mirroring the simple, yet profound, text from Psalm 13:3: Give light to my eyes lest I sleep unto death.  There is significant divisi in each part, but the simple quarter note texture and pleasing harmonies make it easy to sing while still sounding significant. Gorgeous modern harmonies are highlighted by cluster chords and extended phrases to create a memorable choral experience.

COMPOSER’S NOTE

This attractive fifteenth-century text has inspired a setting which is reminiscent of medieval tonality and rhythm.

Dynamic contrast is important within the strophic framework but the choral tone should not be too rich, with a more restrained approach towards expression being preferable.  The frequent changes of time signature are intended to point both conductor and singers towards an idiomatic sense of phrasing but the quaver moment must be even throughout, without unnecessary stresses at the beginning of a bar.  Some of the verse openings are exposed and it is advised that the first note of a verse is placed firmly and confidently in order to maintain momentum.

COMPOSER’S NOTE

A setting of the words from Chapter 15 of the Book of Exodus.

COMPOSER’S NOTE

The original 15th century English text has been slightly shortened and adapted to provide the basis for this simple but atmospheric carol.  The Virgin Mary sings the Infant Jesus to sleep, conveying the love and devotion of a new mother, and the choir echoes her words in the form of a tender lullaby.

1. The Passion
2. Pilgrimage

COMPOSER’S NOTE

These two a cappella psalms were written at the turn of the new millennium for tenor Martin Pickering and the Mansfield Choral Society.