Requiem Gallipoli

Description

Astrid Williamson releases Requiem & Gallipoli, her first large-scale classical composition.

Astrid first performed Requiem & Gallipoli at Hessle All Saints Church in June as part of a D-Day remembrance event raising funds for a local Hull veterans charity, as well as to raise awareness for Operation Warrior Wellness, a process to address post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans using transcendental mediation in collaboration with the David Lynch Foundation (a charitable donation from the albums proceeds will also be made).

I would translate each movement from Latin, then start writing the music at the piano, later orchestrating and singing each individual voice, explains Astrid of the writing process. As I began to transcribe the piano arrangement for the orchestra I found myself thinking, this section must to be on flute, not oboe, not bassoon, it was incredibly intuitive work the music seemed to unfurl before me. I actually dreamt the In Paradisum and had to get up and write it down immediately. I also found it liberating that in essence the piece was not personal to events in my life. It was refreshing to not be pouring out my experiences, rather I felt I was drawing upon a more collective understanding of loss and release.