Composer

:

James MacMillan

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1992

Average_duration

:

3:21

'So Deep' is a choral work composed by James MacMillan in 2012. It was premiered on 17th November 2012 at the Royal Festival Hall in London by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. The piece is divided into three movements, each exploring a different aspect of the theme of water. The first movement, titled "The Water is Wide," is a setting of the traditional Scottish folk song of the same name. MacMillan's arrangement of the song is haunting and atmospheric, with the choir singing in unison and the orchestra providing a shimmering, watery accompaniment. The second movement, "The Drowned Lovers," is a setting of a poem by the Scottish poet George Mackay Brown. The poem tells the story of two lovers who drown in the sea, and MacMillan's music captures the sense of tragedy and loss in the text. The choir sings in rich, complex harmonies, while the orchestra provides a turbulent, stormy accompaniment. The final movement, "So Deep," is a setting of a text by the composer himself. The text explores the idea of water as a symbol of the divine, and the music is accordingly mystical and otherworldly. The choir sings in ethereal, floating harmonies, while the orchestra provides a shimmering, transcendent accompaniment. Overall, 'So Deep' is a powerful and evocative work that showcases MacMillan's skill as a composer of choral music. The piece is characterized by its rich harmonies, atmospheric textures, and vivid evocation of the theme of water.

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