Fabian Watkinson | Composer | Catalogue of works

SOFTLY THE NIGHT (2006)  c 3 mins
a Christmas carol for unaccompanied choir (SATB)
Text: Traditional
First performance December 2008 • Choir of St Colomba's Church, Knightsbridge, London conducted by David Terry

THE YEAR (2001)  c 13 mins
for children’s voices, chorus (SATB), treble and soprano soloists and orchestra
Texts: Flora Watson, John Milton, Katherine Tynan, Emily Brontë, Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Commissioned by North Bridge House School, Camden, London
(2 fls, 2 obs, 2 cls, 2 alto saxs, 2 trpts, 2 trbns, pno, strings)
First performance July 2001 • North Bridge House School • Pupils and staff conducted by Allan Dunbar

CHRISTMAS NOCTURNE (1988)  c 11 mins
for choir (SATB), soprano, children’s voices and piano or organ
Texts: Richard Verstegan, Czech traditional, Anon.
First performance December 1988 • Leighton House, London • Pembridge Opera and the choir of Pembridge Hall School conducted by Fabian Watkinson

GABRIEL’S MESSAGE (1983)  c 5 mins
an arrangement of a Basque noel for two voices and piano or organ
Text: Rev S Baring-Gould
First performance December 1983 • All Saints Church, Bodham • Claire Calmon, Sheila Donaldson, Fabian Watkinson

VANITY OF VANITIES (1976)  c 14 mins
for unaccompanied choir (SATB)
Text from Ecclesiastes

INSTRUMENTAL WORKS

SONATINA (2000)   c 8mins
for piano

PROCESSION, EPITAPH AND DANCE (1994)  c 10 mins
for clarinet and piano
First performance March 1997 • St Mary’s Church, Aylesbury • Roger Leaver and Craig Nathan

ELEGY on the name of James Dower (1993)  c 3 mins
for flute and piano
First performance February 1993 • Hinde Street Church, London • Mark Tucker and Fabian Watkinson

SONATA (1991)  c 15 mins
for piano
First performance April 1992 • Seattle Spring Festival • Joshua Pierce

SICILIANO (1990)  c 4 mins
for organ
First performance October 1990 • St Martin’s Church, Brighouse • Fabian Watkinson

ELEGIES AND DANCES (1984)  c 15 mins
Variations for cello and piano
First performance December 1987 • Seattle International Contemporary Music Festival • Alexander Cohen and Judith Segal

PRELUDE AND FUGUE (1976) c 10 mins
for piano
First performance November 1979 • Duke University, North Carolina • Michael Ching
Joint First Prize, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 1978

STAGE WORKS

MORGAN’S BOYS (1998)   c 6 mins
Incidental music to the play by Martin Kochanski
Alto saxophone and piano
First performance 1998 Edinburgh Festival • Recording by Stephen Foster and Fabian Watkinson

CUT IS THE BRANCH (1993)   c 120 mins (inc. dialogue)
Musical play on the life and death of Christopher Marlowe in two acts
Book and lyrics: Michael Reece

MOSAIC (1987)   c 60 mins
Opera with dance
Libretto: Arnold Sundgaard
(5 soloists: sop, mezzo-sop, 2 tens, bar; 3 dancers: 2 male, 1 female; fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, harp, timps and perc, 2 vlns, vla, vcl, d.bass)
First production March 1988 • Polytechnic of North London Theatre (now London Metropolitan University) • Opera Favorita conducted by Fabian Watkinson
Second production July 1991 • Hinde Street Church, London • Trinity College of Music Student Union Opera Group conducted by Mark Winn
Publisher: New Essex Music Group

SONG CYCLES

WHERE TIME HAS BEEN (1989)  c 17 mins
five songs for medium voice and piano
Texts: W H Auden, Siegfried Sassoon, Philip Allen
First performance October 1989 • Leighton House, London • Andrew Rivera and David Newbold

THE DEAD SLEEP ON (1982)  c 13 mins
six songs of war for soprano and eight players
Texts: Bertolt Brecht
(fl, alto sax, ten sax, trpt, trbn, pno, perc, d.bass)
First performance June 1993 • Hinde Street Church, London • Anne Sheridan and ensemble conducted by Mark Winn

NIGHT SONGS (1980)    c 9 mins
four songs for high voice and piano
Texts: Laurence Collinson, Leo Madigan, Fabian Watkinson, Ivor Treby
First public performance November 1986 • The British Music Information Centre, London • Claire Calmon and Fabian Watkinson

THE BLUE WINGED BEE (1975)   c 10 mins
five songs for baritone and three players
Texts: Peter Wigham
(fl/picc, cl/b.cl, vcl)
First performance February 1976 • Great Hall, Leeds University • Duncan Jackman and the Leeds Contemporary Music Ensemble

ORCHESTRAL WORKS

PUER NOBIS (1983)   c 16 mins
Variations for orchestra with chorus
Commissioned by the Sherwood Sinfonia with funds provided by East Midlands Arts
(2 fls, picc, 2 obs, 2 cls, 2 bsns, 4 hns, 2 trpts, 3 trbns, tba, timps, perc, strings)
First performance December 1983 • Stantonbury Theatre, Milton Keynes • Sherwood Sinfonia and Danesborough Chorus conducted by Jonathan Butcher

CHAMBER WORKS

LE TOMBEAU DE MESSIAEN (2008)   c 3 mins
for string trio (vln, vla, vcl)
Commissioned by Marzena for the Free Marz String Trio to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Messiaen's birth 
First performance September 2008 • Community Music Center, Portland, Oregon • Free Marz String Trio

MUSIC FOR ELEVEN PLAYERS (1977)  c 15 mins
(fl/picc, cl, 2 hns, perc, 4 vlns, 2 vcls)

CHAMBER SYMPHONY (1975)  c 20 mins
for thirteen players
(fl/picc, ob, cl, bsn, 2 hns, trpt, trbn, 2 vlns, vla, vcl, d.bass)
First performance February 1976 • Great Hall, Leeds University • The West Riding Ensembles conducted by Philip Wilby