Lullaby and Dandling Song

Commissioned for the Birmingham Flute Choir, this piece uses two traditional Celtic songs. The lullaby Dream Angus refers to the Celtic God of love, youth and beauty, Angus, who is the bringer of sweet, unsettling dreams of love. The Contrabass flute first sings out the tune over a gently rocking accompaniment, before the full choir joins with rich harmonies and a soaring counter melody. The second is a dandling song, Cuc-a-neandí, traditionally sung to a young child whilst bouncing them on ones lap. The melody bounces round the sections, with 'chuckling' interjections in the accompaniments, before the pace slows and the piece ends with a recapitulation of the Dream Angus theme.