The Martyrdom of St. Magnus

Chamber Opera in Nine Scenes

Year

1976

Duration

72'

Movements

I. The Battle of Menai Strait; II. The Temptations of Magnus; III. The Curse of Blind Mary; IV. The Peace Parley (Prelude to the Invocation of the Dove); V. Magnus' Journey to the Isle of Egilsay; VI. Earl Håkon Resolves to Murder Magnus; VI. The Reporters; VII. The Sacrifice; VIII. The Miracle

Instrumentation

mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone (2), bass - flute (=piccolo, alto flute), clarinet in A (=bass clarinet), horn, trumpet (2), percussion, harpsichord (=celesta), guitar, viola, violoncello, double bass

Explanation of the instrumentation string

Abbreviation	Instrument
Guitar(s) and other plucked instruments
bal	balalaika
bgtr	bass guitar
bjo	banjo
egtr	electric guitar
gtr	guitar
gtr (ampl.)	amplified guitar
hrp	harp
mand	mandolin
uke	ukulele
Woodwinds
afl	alto flute
asax	alto saxophone
barsax	baritone saxophone
bcl	bass clarinet
bsax	bass saxophone
bsthn	basset horn
cl	clarinet
corA	cor anglais
dbcl	contrabass clarinet (or double bass clarinet)
dbn	contrabassoon (or double bassoon)
Ebcl	E-flat clarinet
fl	flute
heck	heckelphone
ob	oboe
obda	oboe d'amore
picc	piccolo
rec	recorder
sarrus	sarrusophone
sax	saxophone
ssax	soprano saxophone
tsax	tenor saxophone
Brass
bgl	bugle
btrbn	bass trombone
crt	cornet
euph	euphonium
flghn	fluegel horn
hn	horn
picctpt	piccolo trumpet
tpt	trumpet
trbn	trombone
tba	tuba
Wtba	Wagner tuba
Percussion
cim	cimbalom
drkit	drum kit
glsp	glockenspiel
mba	marimba
perc	percussion
tamb	tambourine
timp	timpani
vib	vibraphone
xyl	xylophone
Keyboards
cel	celesta
eorg	electric organ
epft	electric piano
harm	harmonium
Horg	Hammond organ
hpsd	harpsichord
kybd	keyboard
org	organ
pft	piano
prep pft	prepared piano
synth	synthesizer
Strings
db	double bass (or contra bass)
evln	electric violin
strgs	strings
vla	viola
vlada	viola d'amore
vlc	violoncello
vln	violin
Vocal
A	(Contr)alto
B	Bass
Bar	baritone
MS	mezzo-soprano
S	soprano
T	tenor
Other
acc	accordion
ocar	ocarina
oM	Ondes Martinot

Explanation

The standard, accepted order of instrumentation for large ensembles: fl.ob.cl.bsn - hn.tpt.trbn.tba - perc - other - vlnI.vlnII.vla.vlc.db - tape, or electronics. Saxophones appear between clarinet and bassoon.

All other scorings (less than 8 instruments) are listed in full.

When an instrument is listed in parentheses, then this instrument is doubled. "guitar (=electric guitar)" means that the guitarist plays an acoustic, as well as an electric guitar. In an orchestral setting, "1(I=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).1" would resolve to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes (second oboe also playing cor anglais), 2 clarinets (second clarinet also playing bass clarinet), 1 bassoon. If there is an extra instrument, which is not doubled, then this is expressly written out, e.g. "1(I=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.1.dbn", which unravels to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 double bassoon.

Solo instruments in a concerto or chamber setting are written out in front of the ensemble instruments: guitar - 1.1.1.1 - 1.0.0.0 - perc - strgs.

Genre

Stage Work with Guitar

Text/Libretto

Peter Maxwell Davies after the novel 'Magnus' by George Mackay Brown

Commission

BBC for the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II

Premiere

Kirkwall, Orkney, St. Magnus Cathedral, 18 June 1977: Neil Mackie, tenor / Michael Rippon, baritone / Brian Rayner Cook, baritone / Ian Comboy, bass / Mary Thomas, mezzo-soprano / The Fires of London, Peter Maxwell Davies (cond.) / Murray Melvin, staging

Publisher

Boosey & Hawkes

Source

composer homepage;