My idea of developing music from Richard of Gloucester's monologue 'Now is the winter of our discontent', and of generating more music from that material, was conceived during the 1960s. Ten years later it took a more concrete form, when Julian Bream suggested to me that I should write a substanial new guitar work for him. More time went by, and only having finished 'We Come to the River' could I begin to realise our plan. Then began a collaboration with the instrumentalist that went through various phases, from which I gained a more profound knowledge of the technicalities and of the sound-world of the guitar. I would even go so far as to say that this collaboration gave me a new concept of how to write for an instrument with a rich tradition. The guitar is a 'knowing' or 'knowledgeable' instrument, with many limitations but also many unexplored spaces and depths within these limits. It possesses a richness of sound capable of embracing everything one might find in a gigantic contemporary orchestra. but one has to start from silence in order to notice this: one has to pause, and completely exclude noise.
The dramatis personae of this piece enter through the sound of the guitar as if it were curtain. Through masks, voices and gestures, they speak to us of great passion, of tenderness, sadness and comedy: strange events in people's lives. Into this, the whispering voices of spirits are mingled. The epilogue is spoken by Oberon, pacified and reconciled, as though Nature had been subjected to Man.
- Hans Werner Henze.

Song List:

Adoro Devote

All My Trials

All the Way My Savior Leads Me Lowry CrosbyINeed Thee Every Hour Lowry Hawks

Balm in Gilead

Benediction

Bread of the World Eucharistic Hymn

Canticle #1

Canticle #2

Close to Thee Vail Crosby Every Day and Every Hour Doane Crosby

Come to the Feast

Compline

Consecration

Deep River

Evening Prayer

Gloria

God Unseen Yet Ever Near St Flavian

Have Thine Own Way, Lord Adelaide

He Hideth My Soul Kirkpatrick Crosby

Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face Penitentia

Higher Ground Gabriel Oatman

Hold to God?s Unchanging Hand Eiland

Holy Is The Lord

I Love to Tell the Story Fischer Hankey

At the Cross Hudson Watts

I Will Arise and Go to Jesus Arise

I Will Praise Him Harris More Love to Thee Doane Prentiss

Jesu, Joy of Man?s Desiring

Jesus Paid It All Grape HallI Am Coming, Lord Hartsough

Jesus Spreads His Banner O?er Us Autumn

Just As I Am Woodworth

Kyrie Eleison

Lamb Of God

Lenten Meditation

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Picardy

Let Us Break Bread Together

Light Of The World

Litany

Lonesome Valley

Look Down That Lonesome Road

Lord, I?m Coming Home Kirkpatrick Draw Me Nearer Kirkpatrick Crosby

Lord, Speak to Me Canonbury

Meditation on Psalm

My Faith Looks Up to Thee Olivet

My Lord, My God

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

Resignation

Nearer, My God, to Thee Bethany

Never Alone Anon

Night Prayer

Nobody Knows The Trouble I?ve Seen

O Esca Viatorum

Pass Me Not Doane Crosby

Only Trust Him Stockton

Peace

Praxis Pietatis Melica

Prayer

Prayer of Simeon

Psalm 102:1 Hear My Prayer, O Lord

Psalm 118:24 This Is the Day That the Lord Hath Made

Psalm 119:28 My Soul Is Heavy with Sorrow

Psalm 126:6 They That Sow in Tears

Psalm 128:1 Blessed Are They That Fear the Lord

Psalm 139:7 Where Shall I Go From Thy Spirit

Psalm 142:3 When My Spirit Grows Faint Within Me

Psalm 144:3 Lord, What Is Man

Psalm 16:1 Keep Me Safe, O God

Psalm 19:1 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Psalm 34:18 The Lord Is Close to the Broken Hearted

Psalm 65:2 Thou That Hearest Prayer

Psalm 88:13 Unto Thee Have I Cried, O Lord

Rendez a Dieu

Sanctus

Shall We Gather at the River Lowry

Softly And Tenderly

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

St Gregory Chorale

Steal Away

Sweet By and By Webster Bennett Leaning on the Everlasting Arms Showalter Hoffman

Sweet Hour of Prayer Showalter Hoffman Is Your All on the Altar Hoffman

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

The Lord?s Supper Way

To God Be the Glory Doane Crosby

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus He Is Lord

Wade In The Water

Wayfaring Stranger

We Give Thee Thanks

Were You There

What a Friend We Have in Jesus Converse

When I Lay My Burdens Down