SONGS FROM THE SWANS AT COOLE
To mark the 150th Birthday of W.B. Yeats in 2015
Michael Scott composed a new song cycle exploring his poetry focusing on the development of the Irish state and his unrequited love for Maude Gonne.
Poems include Innisfree, Sailing to Byzantium, When You are Old, The Sorrow of Love, No Second Troy, September 1913.
Presented as follows 2015:
13th June PAVILION THEATRE (Dún Laoghaire) the anniversary of Yeat’s 150th birthday.
16th June CIVIC THEATRE Tallaght,
17th June DRAÍOCHT in Blanchardstown
18th June TOWNHALL THEATRE Galway
24th June National Library of Ireland (part of their Yeats 150 celebrations)
Musicians
Keyboards & Musical Director - Dave "Doc" O Connor/Vincent Lynch
Harp - Rachel Duffy
Uileann Pipes & Whistles - James Mason
Cello - Michelle mason
Fiddlle -Aoife Kelly
French Horn - Andre Kavanagh
Percussion - Nick Bailey
MILAN (EXPO Milan) as part of the Irish Official Participation
2 Outdoor Performances @The Irish Pavilion
4 performances @ The Irish Pavilion in Central Hall
Single Performance at the International Conference on W.B. Yeats - Yeats ReBorn (Irish Pavilion)
Musicians Milan
Keyboards & Musical Director - Vincent Lynch
Harp - Corma De Barra
Cello -Michelle Mason
Tenor -Anthony Norton
2016
Millennium Forum Theatre Derry Northern Ireland
Musicians Derry
Keyboards & Musical Director - Vincent
Harp - Corma De Barra
Cello -Michelle Mason
Tenor -Anthony Norton
Soprano - Sandra Oman
2017
Seamus Heany Centre - Ballaghey Northern Ireland
Musicians Ballaghy
Keyboards & Musical Director - Izumi Kimuara
Harp - Rachel Duffy
Cello -Michelle Mason
Tenor - Anthony Norton
Soprano - Sandra Oman
Development
Opera singers Anthony Norton(tenor) had collaborated with Scott before on his Opera based on THE DREAMING OF THE BONES by W.B Yeats in 2000.
His long-time collaborator, Cormac DeBarra (harpist), is also involved in developing the musical arrangements through improvisation with Scott and the singers.
Scott arranges for his traditional orchestra as Seán O’Riada did – everyone sitting in a circle, and the musical arrangement being developed and agreed with the traditional musicians, notes being made on pages of words, but a no formal score being written out.
Scott believes that the musicians “own” the music in its live performance, with the traditional players not just ‘playing dots,’ but “allowing the living music to breathe and resonate”.
“For me the idea is based on the ancient Irish “dord” or chord of life - a sound that is at the centre of being, with melody being not just a thing in itself, but arising from the struggle through the emotion of the words and ideas being played, or sung, always trying to return to the central core note.“
"This song cycle was in development over a sustained period of time, some songs taking years to complete, others shorter timeframes,
I try not to force the words into a particular time structure, because they are alive, they breathe, and respond to the human voice”. So it takes a long and painstaking process to find a musical language that can be as elastic as the words.
The singers always ask “What’s the time signature?” and I reply – “There is none, sing it as you would speak it. The music and the musicians will fit around for you, as the words breathe and reverberate in your voice”.
