A life of music, words and gardens
Nourished by the borderlands of England and Wales
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Creating music theatre, choral, vocal and instrumental music in a converted Methodist chapel​​
WHOSE SILENCE ARE YOU?
FINISHED! Martin Bussey’s settings of four Thomas Merton poems, written for baritone Damian O’Keeffe, are now complete! The score of the set is available from Composers Edition here
WHAT ARE THE SONGS ABOUT? The songs reflect many characteristic images/ideas in Merton’s writing: silence; fire; nature. Above all, personal identification with Creation. The third song sets ‘O sweet irrational worship’. This has the bob-white quail (the background to this panel) as a central figure. Merton identifies himself as integrated with nature.
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LAUNCHING THE SET! the first two songs, ‘In Silence’ and ‘Song for nobody’, will be premiered in a lunchtime concert in Brecon Cathedral on July 4 2025, at 13.00 hrs. Damian O’Keeffe will be accompanied by Martin and settings of George Herbert (by Vaughan Williams) and Emily Dickinson (by Copland) are also on the programme.
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The first performance of the full set, including the fourth song, ‘How long we wait’, is planned to be part of a concert of Martin’s music on November 8th, 2025, given in Wesley Centre, Chester at 15.00 hrs. This will be a celebration of Martin’s time as conductor of Chester Bach Singers, funded by those who wished to mark the occasion of his retirement from CBS. Further performances are planned in Northern cathedrals in 2026.
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'We Two' at Classical Pride
Proud that 'We two' from my Whitman cycle 'Children of Adam' appears as part of Classical Pride: Voices of Tomorrow July 4 2025 at 18.00 hrs at Barbican Hall, London​
Performed by Jonathan Eyers and Edward Picton-Turbevill
Click here for full details
New release 17.10.25
Includes Matthew's recordings of
Radcliffe's Repose & Ledger's Coranto
New CD A Brother Abroad released Dec 2024
Access tracks here
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Buy the CD here
...soloists Marcus Farnsworth (particularly in the sequence that gives the disc its title) and Alison Rose are utterly compelling, underlining the distinctive way Bussey writes for the voice.
ARTMUSELONDON Jan 2025
Read the whole review here
Read my interview with Composers Edition here
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Farnsworth sings with great expression, excellent diction and with authority. The voice is dominant, and the instruments often just play wisps of melody around the voice; the whole texture is economic.
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Joy, shipmate, joy has a lively piano accompaniment. The spare accompaniment to The Mystic Trumpeter is suitably apt, and the final song on the disc, No coward soul is mine (a six-minute number) is suitably dramatic.
British Music Society Jan 2025
Read the whole review here
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Scroll down for more reaction!
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Thanks to Nick Holmes for his interest in A Brother Abroad in 2024 at nick-holmes-music-com
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Nick visited Southwell Music Festival to hear A Brother Abroad live, together with companion pieces The Rites Observed, for solo French Horn and La Rossa, for Flute
​...The main piece, A Brother Abroad featured Farnsworth as baritone soloist with the three other musicians. Farnsworth’s diction was so clear that it was easy to follow the story, particularly after the illuminating pre-concert talk. As Bussey said, this is essentially a piece of music theatre.
Read the whole review here
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The Rites Observed for solo horn was superbly played by George Strivens as his mellow tone resonated around the Minster. A declamatory theme, taken from opening of A Brother Abroad, representing the start of Peter’s journey, was followed by faster, more discursive returns to the same theme. The musical language was austere and modernist, but also timeless. Somehow the act of removing and replacing the French horn’s mute became part of the ritual that the music describes.
Bussey’s La Rossa for solo flute, written sometimes with a questing feel, sometimes florid, sometimes flowing and almost Debussy-esque. Emma Halnan shaped the melodic lines beautifully.
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Read Nick's account of Martins' pre-concert talk with librettist Anthony Pinching here
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TIME FOR CHANGE!
Things are changing! Martin stepped down from Chester Bach Singers in March 2025 after 38 years. He considers himself so lucky to have led choirs since 1978, starting with Cambridge Granta Singers. He now concentrates on writing and promoting his own music at Composers Edition He continues as a vocal tutor at Manchester University. He also looks to extend piano playing in partnership with singers. He's always happy to support colleagues as a stand-in conductor or accompanist for the odd rehearsal - pretty familiar with the rep by now, he welcomes contact at any time! (button on the panel at the top of the site to email)
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.)
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, h​ighly 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
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'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.'
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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 as 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. 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'.
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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 its performance to a large audience in Southwell Minster. Scroll up to an earlier panel for details of the recent release of the recording of these works, or click here​​
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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.
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Click on links for more details of artists. Scores at Composers Edition
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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.
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more details and score at Composers Edition
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Photos below
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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.
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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:
SHROPSHIRE LASS
New work premiered AUTUMN 2022: poetry of Mary Webb
set for soprano and guitar (click on links to performances, Mary Webb & the performers)
Shropshire Lass was completed in 2021, written for the duo of Holly Teague and Michael Matthews.
Lasting around 35 minutes the work tells a story of love, loss and memory, with the Shropshire countryside a significant element as the singer traces her past love, and his loss in the 1914-18 war.
This semi-staged piece received its first complete performances as part of the Marches Songbook project in Autumn 2022 - dates and venues below.
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If you are interested in hosting a performance of Shropshire Lass click here
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The next panel details Holly and Michael's performance of the first five songs in March 2022.
SHROPSHIRE LASS LAUNCHED
Holly Teague and Michael Matthews performed the first five songs in the Whitchurch Caldecott Festival
(click on links in the panel above to explore Mary Webb & the performers)
March 19 2022 saw the first, very successful performance by Holly and Michael of the first five songs of Shropshire Lass. Martin Bussey introduced the performance, stressing the important focus on Nature in Mary Webb's poems and also her frank allusions to sexual love. The enthusiastic applause from an appreciative audience showed the high standard of the performance and bodes well for reception of the work in its full version as part of the Marches Songbook project.
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Below: Holly and Michael in the Masonic Hall, Whitchurch.
IN DAYS LIKE THESE WIGMORE HALL
OCTOBER 22 2022
Delighted that In days like these received its latest performance at London's Wigmore Hall as part of Ludlow English Song Day on October 22. It was performed by James Atkinson, baritone and Iain Burnside, piano.
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This short work sets Gerald Finzi's letter to Herbert Howells documenting the first performance of his Dies Natalis. This took place at Wigmore Hall itself. Though Finzi states that 'it wants the Cathedral, not Wigmore Hall'!
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Score available from Composers Edition here.
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WHAT THE DICKENS!
New work for two actors, choir, soprano, tenor and bass solos with oboe and piano
July 20 2022 saw the very successful premiere of this new work commissioned by the St Marylebone Festival
The work features six characters from the novels written by Dickens when he lived round the corner from St Marylebone Church, in Devonshire Terrace in the 1840s. These have been commemorated in the mural which now stands on the site of Dickens' house, including the unforgettable Scrooge, the drunken Mrs Gamp, the perpetually optimistic Wilkins Micawber, Little Nell and many others.
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The work includes original settings of three poems by Christina Rossetti: Up-Hill; Cobwebs; and A Life's Parallels.
Scores of these are available from Composers Edition.
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There are also settings of W.B.Yeats, Dickens' words, and re-imaginings of music by S.S.Wesley and drinking and temperance songs of Dickens' time.
The cast included actors Ros Shelley and Alex Knox alongside the choir of St Marylebone Parish Church, Gavin Roberts, piano and Clare Hoskins, oboe.
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Rehearsal photos in the next panel!
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WHAT THE DICKENS!
Below, actors Alex Knox and Ros Shelley channel their inner Micawbers (left)
Ros Shelley as Mrs Gamp celebrates the joys of drink with the choir of St Marylebone and Musical Director Gavin Roberts (right)
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As a taster, listen to Martin Bussey playing Mr Dombey Seated here.
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The score is available from Composers Edition currently under £4!
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THE WINDHOVER
Martin Bussey's setting of Gerard Manley Hopkins' THE WINDHOVER had a very warm reception from a large audience at Ambleside Parish Church as parted of the 2022 Lake District Summer Music Festival. Acclaimed tenor ROBERT MURRAY gave an intensely committed and compelling performance with ROSA HARTLEY, Violin.
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SCORE available from Composers Edition here
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Photos in the panel below of Martin with the performers; and giving a pre-concert talk with fellow composer, Cecilia McDowall and Festival Director Steven Threlfall before the performance.
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A BROTHER ABROAD
Explore the vivid spiritual and political lives of 14th-century Bishop Peter of Corbavia!
The first performance of A Brother Abroad at Pinner Music Festival was deemed a resounding success by the festival organisers and an appreciative audience on June 12 2021.
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The commission celebrated 700 years since the dedication of St John's, Pinner by Bishop Peter of Corbavia.
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The Festival's Director says:
'The performance was a triumph, with the superb and finely crafted score being widely appreciated for the way it brought the person of Peter, his faith and his time to life.'
A Brother Abroad sets a vibrant and spiritually charged text by Anthony Pinching.
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Click here to hear Martin and Anthony discuss the work.
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The next performance at Ludlow English Song Weekend on April 9 2022 (photo below) was equally well received in the magnificent surroundings of Ludlow Parish Church.
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The score is available now from Composers Edition
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Read more about the dynamic performers at the premiere by clicking on their names:
Marcus Farnsworth, baritone
Emma Halnan, flute
George Strivens french horn
Chris Brannick, percussion
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Click here to hear George Strivens play The Rites observed a metamorphosis of themes from the work for solo horn composed by Martin Bussey for him. The score can be previewed here.
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CAMBRIDGE WEEKEND 2021
MATTHEW SCHELLHORN
FLOREAT COLL REG
Over the weekend of November 19/20 2021 pianist Matthew Schellhorn continued his performances of Martin's Floreat Coll Reg.
Matthew commissioned this work and premiered it at the 2021 Three Choirs Festival.
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In these two short pieces, Radliffe's Repose and Ledger's Coranto Martin pays tribute to two important influences from undergraduate days at Cambridge, Philip Radcliffe and Philip Ledger.
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The work was played at St Catharine's College on Friday evening then Corpus Christi College on Saturday alongside piano music by Herbert Howells
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Go to Composers Edition to view Martin's music for piano and organ including ​Floreat Coll Reg & links to other works.
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THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL PREMIERE!
PIANO MUSIC
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July 30 2021 saw the premiere of Floreat Coll. Reg. commissioned and performed by Matthew Schellhorn at Worcester Three Choirs Festival
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Read what Matthew and Martin have to say about this new commission here
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Go to Composers Edition to view Martin's music for piano and organ including ​Floreat Coll Reg & links to other works.
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Listen to Martin playing his piano music, including Shocklach Sketches here
REVIEWS
MARY'S HAND
The Independent
★★★★★
‘The outstanding Mary’s Hand’
MARY'S HAND
The Stage
★★★★
'The writing is linear, finely wrought and daringly spare'
IN NO STRANGE LAND
BBC Music Magazine
★★★★
'This disc of choral works by contemporary composer Martin Bussey is glorious...Shimmering sound'
THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY
The Observer
★★★
'An enthralling piece which makes a philosophical exploration of dreams and reality'