When visiting the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi for the first time in July 2023, I was immediately struck by the kaleidoscopic, bright but muted pastel colours of the interior, and by the contrastingly rugged stone tomb of St Francis. As I slowly explored the various spaces, I began to imagine a plainchant-like line of parallel chords in varying block-colour orchestrations, which I later worked out using the beginning of a plainchant for the feast of St Francis. Using organ instead of an orchestra seemed appropriate in both its liturgical associations, and its colouristic potential, and as I worked on the piece it became more tied up with St Francis, his ethos, his association with animals/the environment, and with his ‘Canticle of the creatures’. The addition of multiple guiros towards the end of the piece echoes this connection with the animal world, imitating the constant throng of cicadas.
Shades of Assisi – Variations on a Franciscan plainchant (SATB choir and organ) will be premiered by The Edge Chamber Choir (dir. Ros Crouch), and Hilary Norris – Organ on Saturday 12th October, 7:30pm, Leominster Priory, Herefordshire