The sheet music for David's setting of Lt Col John McCrae's famous First World War poem In Flanders Fields is now available to buy from the online shop, having received its premiere last night in the beautiful and atmospheric chapel of Keble College, Oxford, by the Arcadian Singers.
This plaintive and introspective piece for 8-voice choir is based around a melodies that evolve and return in a constant ebb and flow, conjuring up images of the endless poppy fields often associated with the famous poem, before gently fading into the distance at its conclusion. This setting was written as part of the Sospiri choir's A Multitude of Voices project to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the start of the First World War, and will be performed by them as part of their concert programme.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.