A LIFE'S PARALLELS
Chester Bach Singers recently performed Martin's setting of Christina Rossetti's A Life's Parallels to an appreciative audience in Wesley Centre, Chester. (click on the title to see details of the score, obtainable from Composers Edition.)
NEWS!
TIME FOR CHANGE
Things are changing! I step down from Chester Bach Singers in March 2025 after 30+ years. My successor at Cantiones starts in January. So lucky to lead choirs since 1978, starting with Cambridge Granta Singers. I’m not disappearing! I will concentrate on writing and promoting my own music at Composers Edition I continue as a vocal tutor at Manchester University. I look to extend my piano playing in partnership with singers. I’m on hand to support colleagues as a stand-in conductor or accompanist for the odd rehearsal - pretty familiar with the rep by now so contact me any time! (button on the panel above)
SUMMER 2024
SONGS CHOIRS & HORN
SUMMER 2024 was a bumper time for performances!
(click on links below for details of scores and performance venues)
Chester Bach Singers performed Martin’s Roses in Wesley Centre, Chester on June 8. They brought across the many nuances in three beautiful Renaissance poems and sang with particular warmth in Martin's setting of 'Roses, their sharp spines being gone'.
Roses is a short cycle for unaccompanied SATB choir, written for and premiered by CBS in 2009.
It sets three poems linked to roses, the other two being:
‘Go, lovely rose’;
‘Lady, when I behold the roses sprouting’.
On June 14, highly talented young horn player George Strivens (photo below), gave the premiere of Martin’s work for solo French Horn, The Rites observed, at Pinner Music Festival. The work is a metamorphosis of ideas from the longer work A Brother Abroad, commissioned by the festival in 2021. It focuses on some of the liveliest moments from the original piece and exploits George’s technical brilliance and power. He recently recorded it for release later this year by Resonus Classics.
Watch a preview performance here
'The Phantom Horsewoman', the first song of Martin's cycle of Thomas Hardy settings Poems of 1912/13 appeared in 'The Sea and Ships' at the London Song Festival on June 21. It was grippingly performed by Gareth Brynmor John and Nigel Foster (in photo below, left). Critic Robert Hugill described the piece as 'a complex yet tonal work that was a wonderfully effective free arioso.'
On Wednesday June 26, the ‘Hidden Gems’ series at St Mary-le-Strand, London WC2R 1ES (photo below, right) included Martin Bussey’s In days like these. Part of a concert focused on Gerald Finzi and his circle, the song sets a letter from Finzi to Herbert Howells written in the early days of World War 2. The text reflects on composing during wartime. Martin’s setting has received much positive acclaim for its sensitivity. Performed on several occasions around the country already, on this occasion it was sung by baritone Alex Zasiadko, a student at the Guildhall School of Music with Gavin Roberts, piano.
In days like these was then performed at the Endellion Festival on August 7 as part of 'Still alive and frying bacon'.
The summer was rounded off with performances of A Brother Abroad, The Rites observed, and La Rossa at the Southwell Music Festival. Martin talked about these works together with Anthony Pinching, the librettist of A Brother before directing the performance to a large audience in Southwell Minster. Details of the recording of these works, together with Martin's Whitman and Bronte cycles are given in the panel below.
THIS IS DUE FOR RELEASE IN DECEMBER 2024 ON THE RESONUS CLASSICS LABEL.
A BROTHER ABROAD RECORDED
In February/March 2024 Resonus Classics recorded a new CD of Martin's music at Stoller Hall, Manchester.
Over three days baritone Marcus Farnsworth recorded the very successful A Brother Abroad, commissioned in 2021 by Pinner Music Festival, together with several of the original players: Emma Halnan, Flute and George Strivens, French Horn reprised their original roles. They were joined by Stephen Burke, Percussion. The performance was directed by Martin Bussey with librettist Anthony Pinching in attendance (and taking many of the photos!). Emma recorded her linked solo piece La Rossa, and George his, The Rites Observed. Both pieces are metamorphoses of themes from the longer work. In later sessions, soprano Alison Rose and pianist Libby Burgess recorded Martin's song cycle A Chainless Soul, which sets poems of Emily Bronte. Marcus recorded Martin's Whitman cycle Children of Adam, again with Libby. All the performers can be seen in the photos in the panel below. The producer was Adam Binks.
Click on links for more details of artists. Scores at Composers Edition
TIMELESS FIGURE REVIVED
November 2023 saw a highly successful revival of Timeless Figure at The Brownlow Centre, Whitchurch & International Anthony Burgess Centre, Manchester.
Over the weekend more than 80 people, many new to contemporary music theatre, enjoyed watching baritone Peter Edge brilliantly reprise the role of clockmaker Joyce that he created at the 2020 Tete-a-Tete Festiva. He was expertly and idiomatically accompanied by Dan Mawson, clarinet, Ellie Waddington, viola and Sophie Smith, marimba. against a background of commissioned, synchronised images by Laurel Turton, projected by Stephen Hyde.
more details and score at Composers Edition
Photos below
NEW PIANO PIECES!
More music from Shocklach, Martin's home for the past 8 years on the borders of Cheshire & Wales. Or rather, music inspired by trips and visits.
Three new piano pieces are available from September 1 from Composers Edition.
Click on the titles to see sample scores and product notes.
Then click in the panels below and head to see Martin introduce and play the works on YouTube.
MARTIN TALKS!
Yes - he does!
Martin Bussey frequently gives talks about a wide range of musical genres, composers and individual works. He presents lively, engaging and expertly informed presentations. These build on 25 years teaching at Chetham's School of Music and his long-standing connection with amateur musicians. He regularly talks about his own music, most recently to the Friends of Southwell Cathedral, presenting the musical journey behind his CD In no strange land
MARTIN TALKS FREQUENTLY AT SOUTHWELL MUSIC FESTIVAL
2022: MARTIN TALKS ABOUT HIS OWN MUSIC AT LAKE DISTRICT SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL ALONG WITH CECILIA MCDOWALL
MARTIN HAS RECORDED A NUMBER OF TALKS ABOUT THE MUSIC OF GERALD FINZI AVAILABLE ON HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
ASHES UNDER URICON
In January 2023 Martin visited the site of the Roman city of Uricon, near Wroxeter in Shropshire. The substantial remains above ground are dominated by 'The Old Work' a substantial piece of Roman wall. Together with much evidence of Roman masonry incorporated into the local buildings, the site has inspired a sequence of songs for voice and piano, currently being written. Texts include Dickens' account of the 1859 excavations, complete with concern from the local farmer for the impact on his turnips, and passages from Wilfred Owen's poem inspired by the site. More photos below:
VISIT TO DURHAM
In November 2022 Martin worked with Durham University Chamber Choir and their conductor Matthew McCullough on music from their programme Rosa Mystica. This included Martin's The Jesse Tree and Del Nacimiento. Photos below: