The Song of the Child, MMV19
SM-000290548
Description
- Composer
- Malcolm Dedman
-
Lyricist
-
Unknown (works before 1850)
- Publisher
- Malcolm Dedman
- Genre
- Classical / Song
- Instrumentation
- Flute, Marimba, Countertenor, Conga, Crotales, Shaker, Djembe
- Scored for
- Sextet
- Type of score
- Full score, Parts
- Movement(s)
- 1 to 1 from 1
- Duration
- 6'0"
- Language
- English
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year of composition
- 2017
- Description
- The Song of the Child is a setting of a story about the Himba tribe from Namibia who celebrate new birth by praying and meditating so as to ‘find’ a song appropriate to the child. This is done before the child is born and the song continues with the person up until their dying day.
The story has been attributed to the African poet Tolba Phanem. There is some dispute over the authenticity of this story, and may even be from a different tribe altogether! The actual source does not matter as the story is ideal for a musical setting.
The music was written in 2017 and is for countertenor (or contralto) solo, flute, African Marimbas (soprano and tenor) and two percussion players who play Djembes among other instruments. The work’s duration is nearly 6 minutes.
- Upload date
- 21 Jun 2017
Comments
Means the Creator of a Derivative work, such is an adaptation, transcription, arrangement or other alteration based on a pre-existing work in any form recognizably derived from the original.
Means the Creator of the original lyrics.
Means the Creator of a translation of the original lyrics.