In January I delivered Mourned from Afar for the Swiss Army Brass Band. This work will premiere in September during a three-day tour. But not only that! Before they give the concerts, they will record the work. The work can best be described as a cantata. It consists of several parts for two vocal soloists with accompaniment.
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Mourned from Afar
Mourned from Afar is a work for brass band, soprano and baritone. It is intended as a requiem for the times we are going through in the pandemic that started in 2020. In addition, it is a personal testament to the emotions and struggles that the composer himself went through during this time.
The text was written by Monique Bronkhorst and used in the work in three languages. At the moment there is only the Swiss version with solos in German, French and Italian and brass band accompaniment. This version will be premiered September 2022 by the Swiss Army Brass Band conducted by Philipp Werlen. In addition, there is the option for a version with one language.
The work consists of the following parts:
- Prologue: an opening for brass band,
- Healthcare Heroes: solo for soprano,
- Transition 1: intermezzo for brass band,
- Loneliness: solo for baritone,
- Transition 2: intermezzo for brass band,
- Earth: duet for soprano and baritone,
- Transition 3: intermezzo for brass band,
- Lament: solo for soprano,
- Transition 4: intermezzo for brass band,
- Solidarity: solo for baritone,
- Transition 5: intermezzo for brass band,
- What if: duet for soprano and baritone,
- Epilogue: finale for brass band.
The transitions form the connecting element between the different sung parts.
The title refers to part of the text: “weep from a distance, loved, missed” from the Lament.
