Voice and ensemble

The Return of King Raedwald

The 1939 Sutton Hoo ship excavation (British Museum)

Lynne Plowman (2001) words: Kevin Crossley-Holland

Click here for a full list of instrument abbreviations and an explanation of score ordering

Interview for Classical Music Magazine in June 2001, while Lynne Plowman was Composer-in-Residence for Wingfield Arts in Suffolk.

What is 'The Return of King Raedwald' about?

The Return of King Raedwald is a setting of various fragments of Anglo-Saxon poetry, stories and riddles, all from translations by Kevin Crossley-Holland. I've woven these fragments together to make a libretto which gives a voice to King Raedwald. Raedwald was a famous and powerful East Anglian King, who died c.625 and who was most probably buried in the Anglo-Saxon long-ship burial at Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge in Suffolk. Raedwald returns from his Suffolk grave and recollects moments from his heroic life - fierce battles and storms, his journeys across dangerous seas, interspersed with flashbacks to his burial ceremony:

"There in harbour stood the ring-prowed ship, the prince's vessel, icy, eager to sail, and then they laid their dear lord, deep within the ship, by the mast in majesty. Many treasures and adornments from far and wide were gathered there... Mighty men beneath the heavens, rulers of the hall, cannot say who received that cargo." (from 'Beowulf')

What is your source of inspiration? Is there a connection with Suffolk? Why were you asked to write this particular work?

My brief from Wingfield Arts was to compose a piece inspired in some way by East Anglia. I spent two weeks exploring Norfolk and Suffolk, along bleak coastlines, across marshlands, through market towns and villages, visiting castles, museums, libraries and bookshops on the way. One place I was really struck by was the medieval town of Dunwich, which lies buried under the sea, a mile out from today's coastline. I began to get a feeling for the East Anglian landscape - ancient, eery and mysterious, at the mercy of harsh winds and seas. Then I went to visit the Anglo-Saxon burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. They were excavated in 1939, and a ninety foot long-ship was found, containing an incredible array of grave goods including Mediterranean silver-ware, Roman plates and bowls, Celtic treasures, a lyre, sword, shield and warrior helmet. All these are now on display in the British Museum. All traces of King Raedwald's body had disappeared into the acidic, sandy soil...

I began reading Kevin Crossley-Holland's translation of 'Beowulf' which describes a remarkably similar pagan burial, and this led to me discovering 'The Exeter Riddle Book', full of beautiful riddles describing battles, storms, weapons, the wind, the sea - perfect material for describing King Raedwald's life.

Please describe your choice of notation.

I work in the old-fashioned way with pencils and sheets of manuscript paper, I love the tactile process of writing the music down that you just don't get with a computer - I scribble notes to myself as I go along and I like to be able to lay the whole piece out on the floor and move the pages around.

This is part of a year-long residency with Wingfield Arts. What does this involve?

For twenty weeks of the year, I live and work at Wingfield Arts. I have a studio set up in one of the gallery spaces with a piano and a desk. As well as composing The Return of King Raedwald, I've also been involved in running education projects in local schools, and in performing new music by other composers with David Appleton (piano) and Okeanos, an exciting new ensemble from Manchester.

What does the residency mean to you personally? Is it an important stage in your composition career?

It means a huge amount to me - freelance composing can be a rather isolating occupation, it's hard to be objective about your work and see where you're going. It's amazing what a difference it makes to have the support of an organisation like Wingfield Arts. I have been able to be more free with my time, spending long days in the studio without the distractions of meetings, phone calls, teaching commitments and so on. As a result, I've been able to consolidate my ideas, work through several drafts of the piece as well as having the head space to reassess my work in general and think more about directions for the future.

The Return of King Raedwald received its premiere on 6th July 2001, in Eye, Suffolk, performed by Andrew Slater (bass baritone) and the London Mozart Players, conducted by David Juritz.

Libretto: Constructed from extracts from The Exeter Riddle Book and Beowulf, translated by Kevin Crossley-Holland.

The clouds do combat,
Dark drops fall, rustling rain from their wombs.
A fear-tide flows in the hearts of men
and shrithing evil spirits, spurting flames, shoot sharp weapons!

Birds of battle screech, the grey wolf howls,
spears rattle, shield answers shaft.
Rouse yourselves now my warriors!
Grasp your shields, steel yourselves,
fight at the front and be brave!

I rush through the dark clouds that ride me,
Churn the sea into a frenzy!
When one cloud collides with another,
edge against sharp edge...

The din of destruction,
A mighty noise echoes above the dwellings of men!
Dark bodies, hastening, breath fire overhead!
Flashing lightening!
Thunderous crashes shake the sky,
then growl darkly.
Rouse yourselves now my warriors!
Grasp your shields, steel yourselves,
fight at the front and be brave!

Strong men fell, drained by wounds, the dead dropped to the earth.

They built a barrow on the headland, it was high and broad, visible from far to all seafarers. They buried rings and brooches in the barrow, they bequeathed the gleaming gold, treasure of men to the earth. Then twelve brave warriors, sons of heroes, rode round the barrow, sorrowing, they mourned their king!

The whale-mere roars, fiercely rages,
waves beat upon the shore,
lashing waves, racing rollers that smash against stone!
Stones and sand, seaweed and saltspray,
stones and sand.

Sometimes I swoop to whip up waves,
rouse the water, drive the flint-grey rollers to the shore!
Sometimes I fight,
sometimes I rise,
stir up trouble amongst scudding clouds!
Sometimes I plunge through the press of waves,
delving to the earth, the ocean bed,
the waters ferment, sea-horses foaming!

The whale-mere roars, fiercely rages,
waves beat upon the shore,
lashing waves, racing rollers that smash against stone!
Stones and sand, seaweed and saltspray!

The ship is filled with the yell of sailors.
It rides foaming on the spines of breakers, with its cargo of souls.

There in harbour stood the ring-prowed ship, the prince's vessel, icy, eager to sail, and then they laid their dear lord, deep within the ship, by the mast in majesty. Many treasures and adornments from far and wide were gathered there... Mighty men beneath the heavens, rulers of the hall, cannot say who received that cargo.

I stretch beyond the bounds of the world,
I'm smaller than a worm, outstrip the sun,
I shine more brightly than the moon!
The swelling seas, the fair face of the earth and all the green fields
are within my clasp.
I cover the depths, and plunge beneath hell,
I ascend above heaven, highland of renown,
I reach beyond the boundaries of the land of blessed angels,
I fill far and wide all the corners of the earth, and the ocean streams.

Tell me my name!

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