Commissioned by Southbank Centre to mark the restoration of the 1954 Harrison & Harrison / Downes organ in the auditorium of the Royal Festival Hall. First performance on 18th March 2014 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London, by David Goode (organ), children from Southbank Centre’s Voicelab; The Sage, Gateshead; Bridgewater Hall, Manchester; and Town Hall & Symphony Hall, Birmingham, with brass players from the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Youth Brass, conducted by Jessica Cottis.

  • 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones; organ
  • children's chorus
  • 6 min

Programme Note

The new work, scored for children’s choir, brass and organ, sets a poem by Jo Shapcott celebrating the restoration of the Royal Festival Hall organ. The two interludes for organ alone are contemplative rather than loud – I thought that there would be plenty of triumphant organ sound in the programme, and decided to explore its more intimate possibilities. The ending, however, uniting choir, organ and brass, is suitably affirmative.
PMD

Reviews

The organ part is reflective and the huge children's choir was assured in chromatic twists. Beefed up by some limber brass fanfares, it was a touching tribute to the returned instrument.
Peter Reed, classicalsource.com
24th March 2014
'Sir Peter Maxwell Davies's charming Wall of Music gave the stage to a confident young choir and showed off the organ's more intimate side'
Oliver Condy, BBC Music Magazine
19th March 2014