John McCabe

Woefully Arrayed For Twelve Voices

Arranged for SSSAAATTTBBB, the lyrics are from an anonymous writer of the fourteenth century and have been adapted by the composer.

The composer says: Woefully arrayed is a supreme choral setting by William Cornysh, Junior, who died in 1523, of a text usually regarded as of anonymous composition, though there have been some attributions to John Skelton. It is a thoughtful, powerful meditation on Christ on the Cross, and though Cornysh's setting has remarkable intensity and contrapuntal artistry, I felt a strong wish to add my own response to this fine text. The different versions of it have different verses - that used by Cornysh has three verses (plus the refrain), while there are others with four or even five (one attributed to Skelton has five). I have chosen to restrict myself to the three used by Cornysh, using my own adaptation of the modernised words which yet incorporates some archaisms - a deliberate choice for reasons of rhythm and verbal sound. This setting was commissioned by the Three Choirs Festival 2009, for Stile Antico, to whom it is dedicated.