Simon Holt

A Knot Of Time

For Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (Clarinet in A, Viola, Cello and Double Bass).

This extended version of a knot of time was commissioned by Faith Wilson. First performance on 10th OCtober at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham, by Sarah Leonard (Soprano) and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group conducted by Richard Baker.

'''a knot of time' began its life in 1992 as a piece for the Composer's Ensemble for Clarinet, Viola, Cello and Bass with Mezzo Soprano. It was originally the title of only one setting using the poem 'Cada cancion' by Lorca. The tessitura of the vocal line always seemed generally too low for the music and there were also problems with the clarinet writing, so I changed the mezzo-soprano to soprano. I also felt that I should add more settings for the piece to have more of a life and so was thrilled when Faith Wilson asked me for some music to celebrate her 60th birthday in 2008. I decided immediately to add two more Lorca settings to this first setting. I wrote 'El grito' and 'El silencio' quite quickly in June 2008. I added 'Aire de Nocturno' in October of the same year, but still didn't feel that it was complete and so added a brief and rather explosive setting to close in April 2010; 'El pu??al en el corazon'. The whole piece will be premiered in October 2010, with the soprano, Sarah Leonard, and members of the BCMG, eighteen years after the initial response to Lorca's texts. ''
- Simon Holt