Composer

:

Geoffrey Bush

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1969

Average_duration

:

5:12

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

'A Menagerie for Chorus' is a choral work composed by Geoffrey Bush in 1972. The piece was premiered on 22nd June 1972 at the Royal Festival Hall in London, conducted by John Alldis. The work is divided into six movements, each of which is based on a different animal. The first movement, 'The Elephant', is a slow and stately piece that captures the majesty and power of the animal. The second movement, 'The Lion', is a more energetic and rhythmic piece that evokes the fierce and predatory nature of the king of the jungle. The third movement, 'The Kangaroo', is a playful and bouncy piece that captures the hopping and bounding movements of the animal. The fourth movement, 'The Owl', is a haunting and mysterious piece that evokes the nocturnal nature of the bird. The fifth movement, 'The Whale', is a slow and majestic piece that captures the vastness and power of the ocean and the creatures that inhabit it. The final movement, 'The Butterfly', is a light and delicate piece that captures the grace and beauty of the insect. Throughout the work, Bush employs a variety of choral techniques to capture the essence of each animal. For example, in 'The Elephant', the choir uses deep, resonant tones to evoke the weight and power of the animal, while in 'The Kangaroo', the choir uses quick, staccato rhythms to capture the hopping and bounding movements of the animal. Overall, 'A Menagerie for Chorus' is a playful and imaginative work that showcases Bush's skill as a composer and his ability to capture the essence of different animals through music.

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