Jacobite (2004)
Jacobite (2004)
- The Skirmish of Clifton Moor
- The Butcher
- Melancholy Sunrise
10′
fl, cl, pno, vln, vcl
fp. 16 June 2004; LCMG, Alastair Cameron, St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London, UK.
Jacobite (2004) (pdf)
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Jacobite (2004) (mp3)
PROGRAMME NOTE
The word ‘Jacobite’ comes from the Latin translation of James, Jacobus. It relates to the followers of the deposed King James II of Britain and his descendents, thus being the descendents of the Stuart Royal Family and arguably the rightful rulers of Britain. The suite of three works that I have composed relate to the Jacobite rebellion of 1745-46 (the “45”), when Prince Charles Edward Stuart (“Bonnie Prince Charlie”) landed on the west coast of Scotland, raised his standard and declared his father the rightful King of Britain. What followed was one of the most audacious invasions of Britain ever attempted (not to mention one of the most romantic) as the Jacobite army took Edinburgh, Carlisle, Manchester and finally Derby before retreating and being defeated at the Battle of Culloden.
The work is in three movements each relating to a different aspect of the rebellion, these pieces are inspired by the events from the time but are not literal representations of them. Jacobite begins with The Skirmish of Clifton Moor (1745) a short battle that occurred between Jacobite and Hanoverian forces (loyal to the reigning Monarch George II) just south of Penrith in Cumbria. Here a much larger Jacobite force overwhelmed their opposition in what proved to be the final battle to occur on English soil. The second movement is The Butcher (1745/46) a musical representation of the Commander of the Hanoverian forces William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. He would gain the nickname “Butcher” after the insurrection with his heavy-handed dealings with Highland Scots during the clearing. The final movement is entitled Melancholy Sunrise (1746) and is a poetic depiction of Culloden Moor after the battle had finished, when the wives of the dead Highlanders came searching for any trace of their beloved.
PAC