composer
William Knight started his musical career as a chorister of St Paul’s Cathedral, London. He read Music at the University of York whilst singing as the Tenor Choral Scholar at ...
related works
Walking with Thomas Hardy : for mixed choir a cappella / William Knight' text by Thomas Hardy
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
GK
…Bélise dans un jardin : voor koor (24 stemmen) en ensemble / Karel Goeyvaerts
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir and instruments
Scoring:
GK4 cl rec bsn vn vla vc
Stabat Mater : for soprano solo, mixed choir, percussion and strings / Alexander Manotskov
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir and instruments
Scoring:
sopr-solo GK4 perc 2vn vla vc db
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir and instruments
Scoring:
GK4 fl cl h trp trb vc cb
composition
The Two Princes in the Tower : for large choir and ensemble / William Knight; texts by William Shakespeare; Anonymous; William Knight
Other authors:
Shakespeare, William
(librettist)
Description:
'Guardian' has a double meaning. It directly refers to Richard III as Lord Protector of the two princes Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. However, it also refers to God, specifically for Edward who is praying to God to absolve his sins as he waits for death. The Dies Irae chant is Edward's prayer to God to absolve his own sins as well as condemning Richard III for his.
'Lully lu lily lily lily' is a play on words of the beginning of the Coventry Carol. This idea comes from an Old Wives Tail where a Lily and a Rose is offered to a woman who is expecting a child. The one she chooses will determine the sex (Male for Lily, Female for
Rose). The Lily is a prominent symbol for masculinity and also for Christ (as is the Rose - with its 5 petals representing the 5 wounds of Christ). This is why the Lily suffers for us and for our sins. Also, the Rose represents the House of York (Richard III), and the lilies the Two Princes.
The Coventry Carol is a mirror image to the Two Princes in the Tower story, which is why it is presented as a Chorale at the end of the piece.