Cry Palestine

Devised and written by Reem Kelani, Justin Butcher and Harvey Brough.

Commissioned by Vox Holloway. For solo voice (Reem Kelani) with SATB choir, String Quartet, Piano, Bass and Percussion. First performance December 1st 2013, St Luke’s Holloway.

A work combining traditional Palestinian songs with new musical settings of modern poems and literature, telling the Palestinian story through an observation of its hardships as well as a celebration of its culture and history. The resulting work, Cry Palestine, combines new songs with fresh arrangements of songs from Reem’s acclaimed 2006 debut CD, Sprinting Gazelle: Palestinian Songs from the Motherland and the Diaspora.

Another piece in an unfamiliar idiom for most British or Western choirs. It needs a strong Palestinian voice to lead the performance. the choirs chant and sing some simple Arabic, but much of it is in English.

programme