Leo Chadburn, Affix Stamp Here
Instrumentation
Singers (minimum 4, maximum 30 voices), pre-recorded speaking voice and synthesizer drones.
Duration: 18 minutes | Written: 2016 | Commissioned by EXAUDI with funds from The Britten Pears Foundation
Programme Note
Deltiology: the collecting and study of picture postcards.
The elliptical songs that comprise Affix Stamp Here are based on postcard messages written by mid-twentieth century British holidaymakers and travellers. Each text is eternalised by a melody, brought to life by an EXAUDI soloist, and framed by an electronic drone.
While making the piece, I acquired, read and paraphrased several hundred old postcards, before choosing the final sequence of thirty. In among the prosaic accounts of the weather, food and journeys that take a turn for the worse, there are fleeting insights into the lives and personalities of the real people concerned. Perhaps these words paint an even more vivid picture of place and time when transformed into song.
Live Performances
- EXAUDI, 25 May 2016, City, University of London
- EXAUDI, 23 October 2016, LSO St Luke's, London
Awards
- Nominated for a 2017 BASCA British Composer Award.
