To view video, click the picture below: This recording of THE SHE-WOLF was made in the late 1980s. It was one of a cycle of five songs, ’Points in a Journey’, which was commissioned by North Adams State College, Massachusetts and had its First Performance at Smith House, North Adams State College. The work is a response to a poem by Australian poet, Jena Woodhouse. She writes about the strength and passion of her late mother.
“Asmaradana”, a Javanese song form reserved for themes of heroic or tragic love, originates from the courtly life and music of Central Java. Already established by the eleventh century, it endures even today as a well-loved form of expression. My interest in this was awakened during several visits to Indonesia, which I made with my husband David Cox, in the 1970’s and 80’s. Originally this piece was a setting of the poem “Asmaradana” by the very influential Indonesian poet Goenawan Mohamad translated by Dr. Harry Aveling. I later wrote the work as a piano solo; this orchestral version was written for performance by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Mills, for the Music of Australia program, which took place during the Trade and Cultural Mission in Jakarta, AUSTRALIA TODAY INDONESIA ’94. The piano version is published by Wirripang Pty. Ltd., and this orchestral version has been recorded by Vienna…
Styles can change I like pen and ink as a medium and, mostly I draw directly with the pen, which means I don’t pencil out first, then draw the ink line over the pencil. There’s nothing wrong with doing that; but, for myself, I find that doing it my way will result in a line that is more energetic It is the end result matters and usually an energetic drawing is what I am looking for.. I am not trying for complete accuracy. I want my drawings to look spontaneous, as though I have just jotted them down while the story is being told, almost as though they are calligraphy, quickly written down. I also want my illustrations to be lively and to look as though I have enjoyed drawing them. I think readers sense that enjoyment. I like to try out on different types of paper, with different pens…
Music Blog The Purest Love Selections from the first performance of the forty-five minute music drama, IL POVERELLO, which was performed in St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane, October 1st 2010.The work was commissioned by MANDOLINS IN BRISBANE. The program notes describe the work as: ‘A wonderful soundscape that animates the fascinating character of St Francis. Betty Beath and Davd Cox have explored Francis, the person, and his message of love and peace, his affinity with nature and his devotion to simplicity of life.’
Fratelli Minori https://youtu.be/cukVA9R1-wM Fratelli Minori is extracted from IL POVERELLO, a forty-fiveminute music theatre piece on the life of ST Francis of Assisi, with music by Betty Beath, text and visuals by David Cox, commissioned by Mandolins in Brisbane and premiered in St Johns Cathedral, Brisbane, Australia, October 1st 2010. In this video, a recording from the first performance, the Alexandra chorale combine with Franciscan friars as they enter the cathedral and move along the central aisle, singing Fratelli Minori, a walking meditation. IL POVERELLO, performed by the Queensland Mandolin Orchestra, instrumental ensemble, Alexandra Chorale, soloists and narrator was conducted by Nathan Aspinall. Recorded by Lodestar.