Marguerite’s Vocalise

For Soprano and Piano

Programme Note

 Marguerite’s Vocalise is a frozen moment in time. In this moment, a woman’s thoughts are overheard as she searches for an identity, using sounds from her many names. She­­ is calm and agitated simultaneously, and as she begins to lose her mind, she sings to herself. Folk like melodies and traditional forms begin to appear but fractured and unstable, and an outside sound world creeps in, modifying our perception of the woman in front of us. As the moment ends, we return to a familiar world and are left questioning what we just heard and whom we have just seen.

 The piece is dedicated to Clara Lisle who premiered the work at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel on 15th May 2013.

 Liam Mattison (London, April 2013)