The Words of the Host to the Physician and the Pardoner

https://youtu.be/ipYaADrXtu0

The Words of the Host to the Physician and the Pardoner appears in the sixth fragment of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. These Tales were told by Pilgrims as they travelled from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The stories were often used to paint an ironic and critical portrait of English Society, provoking much discussion from the 14th century onwards, particularly about issues of social class.

My composition is loosely based on a small-scale chamber work which I once wrote for an organisation in the South East of England known as Refugee Tales.

Refugee Tales are working to to change the policy of indefinite detention in the UK asylem system, experienced by thousands every year. The Canterbury Tales are a significant inspirational model.

The chamber version was performed at Chilham Village Hall in June 2015 by Charlotte Ashley (soprano) and the Leon Quartet. Charlotte is a member of the Marian Consort and also first cousin to Karen Jolliffe from the quartet. Since this performance I was determined to adapt and orchestrate the music for soprano and string orchestra, which I eventually did in 2017-2018. I was lucky enough to meet Russian soprano soloist Daria Papysheva at RNCM. Daria works with many composers inside and outside the college, and has achieved remarkable success at International Competition Festivals.