118 Flowers of the Great War The Diggers’ Requiem

Overture: dedicated to all military and 1918 The Diggers’ Requiem civilian victims of war has been co-commissioned by Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957): The Movement 7: SANCTUS FOR ICARUS, Australian War Memorial and the Silent Field * The Fall of Aces Australian Government Department Nigel Westlake: Wooden Birds Fly Over of Veterans’ Affairs 1916 the Valley of the Somme † and developed by Christopher Latham with the assistance of Peggy Polias & Movement 1: REQUIEM AETERNAM, Movement 8: BENEDICTUS, Protecting Ellie Cumming. for Fromelles Amiens GF Handel (1685-1759): Dead March * Nigel Westlake: Symphony of Glass and Nigel Westlake’s The Glass Soldier from Saul Stone † (2007) was commissioned by Don Farrands, in memory of his grandfather Movement 2: KYRIE, for Pozières Movement 9: LIBERA ME, for Villers- Nelson H. Ferguson, in honour of his FS Kelly (1881 - 1916): The Somme Bretonneux contribution to art and his virtuous life. Lament * Nigel Westlake: I Was Blind – But Now I See † Performers 1917 Paul Goodchild trumpet Movement 3: TUBA MIRUM, for Movement 10: PIE JESU, for the David Novak accordion Bapaume Liberation of Péronne Simone Riksman soprano Nigel Westlake (b. 1958) / AF Lithgow Graeme Koehne (b. 1956): Pie Jesu: Christina Wilson mezzo-soprano (1870 – 1929): Entering Bapaume † Prayer of Saint Joan of Arc Andrew Goodwin tenor David Hidden baritone Movement 4: LACRIMOSA, for Movements 11 & 12: LUX AETERNA Timothy Young Stuart and Sons piano Bullecourt & IN PARADISUM, for Bellenglise Jordan Aikin bagpipes Elena Kats-Chernin: The Fields of and Montbrehain – the piercing of the Bullecourt Hindenburg Line – incorporating Pipe Major John Grant’s WWI tune, Australian War Memorial Orchestra, Choir and Handbell Choir Movement 5: VIRTUS ET The Lament for the Pipers Lost in the CONSTANTIA, for the Palestine Great War Christopher Latham conductor Campaign Ross Edwards (b. 1943): Eternal Light Richard Mills (b. 1949): The Charge of Recording by Bob Scott Beersheba Encore PIE JESU II, Prayer for Peace Christopher Latham (b. 1966) 62,000 bells recording Movement 6: DIES IRAE, the Third by Dr Kim Cunio Battle of Ypres Nigel Westlake: The Age of Destruction † * arranged by Christopher Latham † from Nigel Westlake: The Glass Soldier

Flowers of the Great War 119 Introduction Program Boer, Korean and Vietnam Wars, plus Iraq and Afghanistan. How does one properly remember the Overture: Dedicated to all military and In 2007, the remains of over 200 greatest carnage the Western World has civilian victims of war Australian and 50 British soldiers seen? The Great War was an impossible Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) arr. buried in a mass grave by German stalemate that required inhuman resolve Latham: The Silent Field troops at Pheasant Wood were and incomprehensible fortitude to uncovered and in 2010, their remains achieve victory. It is difficult to under- Movement 1: REQUIEM AETERNAM, were transferred to the Pheasant Wood stand now, how soldiers endured such for Fromelles Military Cemetery in Fromelles with full carnage in such impossible conditions. GF Handel, arr. Latham: Dead March military honours. The truth is that soldiers on both sides from Saul believed they were serving the greater (the archetypal funeral work played Movement 2: KYRIE, for Pozières good: that their sacrifice would spare at Commonwealth WWI Military FS Kelly (1881 - 1916), arr. Latham: further and wider misery. Hence their Funerals) The Somme Lament stoic endurance, inconceivable today. The Battle of Fleurbaix, now more (The Australian composer’s final work, It is a terrible thing to remember that commonly known as the Battle of written near Thiepval two weeks before all those sacrifices bought only twenty Fromelles, was Australia’s first major his death) years of peace. The impossible cost of battle on the Western Front. Intended the Great War had led to the creation of as a feint to draw German troops away In late July 1916, the Australian a global body that was hoped could end from the main fighting in the Somme, troops fought their first battle in the all wars, the League of Nations. It was it was notable for poor planning and Somme. The goal was to seize the doomed from the start, when the United deeply flawed tactics, and ended in ridge east of Pozières to enable an States refused to join, even though their disastrous failure. Troops from the 5th attack on the German strongholds on President Woodrow Wilson had been Australian and 61st British Divisions the Thiepval Ridge, which had resisted an early architect of he League, and a attacked at 6pm on 19 July 1916 over the British since the opening day of powerful advocate for it. open ground under direct observation the battle. While British divisions were If the diplomats had succeeded, and with no element of surprise, suffering heavily involved, Pozières is primarily if the punishment of Germany through terrible casualties from German remembered today as an Australian the Treaty of Versailles had been more machine guns in reinforced bunkers. battle. reasonable, it might have been possible Small sections of the German Pozières was initially taken by the to avoid the Second World War, and all trenches were captured by the 8th and 1st Division on 23 July 1916, but their those WWI losses would now be easier 14th Australian Brigades, but running success brought unwanted attention to bear. Rather than being the war to end short of ammunition and under intense from German command, which deemed all wars, the Great War just sowed the fire and counterattacks from three it a crucial element of their defensive seeds for yet another global conflict a sides, they were forced to withdraw. system, and ordered it retaken at generation later. Over 5,500 Australians became any cost. The subsequent German Over the past four years and the casualties (around 90% of those bombardment of Pozières was the centenary of this Great War, the Flowers involved), with almost 2,000 killed, and equal of anything yet experienced on of War project has sought to reinvig- around 400 captured. It is understood the Western Front, and far surpassed orate our desire for peace by focus to be the greatest loss by a single what the Australians had previously our attention on that terrible suffering division in 24 hours during the entire experienced at Gallipoli. By the time to remind us again of just what is at First World War. The British suffered they were relieved on July 27, they had stake, and what is required to create a over 1,500 casualties, while German suffered 5,285 casualties. One observer lasting peace. To mark the centenary casualties were little more than 1,000. said “They looked like men who had of the war’s end, the Diggers’ Requiem, Australian official war correspondent been in Hell ... drawn and haggard, honours the sacrifices made on all sides, Charles Bean walked the battlefield and so dazed that they appeared to be and stands as a symbol of the continuing after the Armistice and “found No- walking in a dream, their eyes glassy partnership between France, Germany Man’s-Land simply full of our dead … and starey.” and Australia towards building a peace- skulls and bones and torn uniforms The 2nd Division took over and ful world. were lying about everywhere”. mounted two further attacks, on July It remains the worst 24 hours in 29, a costly failure; and on August 2, It is a Requiem that speaks to all our Australian history, the single day losses when they took German lines beyond hearts’ wish for peace. greater than the combined losses of the the village, but again suffered heavily

120 Flowers of the Great War Flowers of the Great War 121 from the resulting artillery barrage. By an enlarged print of the Bapaume one day, and the missing identified the time they were relieved on August photograph, which was displayed from their identity discs and reburied 6, they had suffered 6,848 casualties. grandly as the visual centrepiece of the under their own headstones. Over the The 4th Division was next into the Australian gallery. It would become the two battles for Bullecourt, Australia line at Pozières. They too endured a most famous Australian photo of the suffered over 10,000 casualties for massive artillery bombardment, and on war. minimal results, with the result that 7 August defeated the Germans’ last The victory was soured by the Australian troops lost all confidence in attempt to retake Pozières, at a cost of delayed-action detonation of explosives their British leadership and how they almost 7,100 casualties. which destroyed the Town Hall, the last were being used. In six weeks of fighting at Pozières surviving building, which was filled with Elena Kats-Chernin’s Lacrimosa and Mouquet Farm, the three thirty sleeping Australian soldiers, who is dedicated to Lance Corporal John Australian divisions suffered around were buried in the collapsing rubble. Riseley and his friends, who managed 23,000 casualties, including 6,800 All but six were killed, together with to survive the first battle of Bullecourt dead, losses comparable with those two French deputies. Bapaume would and get back to their lines. They were sustained at Gallipoli over eight be lost again to the German advance trying to warm themselves around a fire months. Charles Bean described the in the Spring offensive of 1918, before they had built when a dud shell buried Pozières ridge as “more densely sown being finally liberated for good by New in the earth beneath it exploded and with Australian sacrifice than any other Zealand forces in 1918. killed them. place on earth.” Movement 4: Movement 5: Movement 3: LACRIMOSA, for Bullecourt VIRTUS ET CONSTANTIA, for the TUBA MIRUM, for Bapaume Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957): The Palestine Campaign Nigel Westlake (b. 1958) / AF Fields of Bullecourt Richard Mills (b. 1949): The Charge Lithgow (1870 – 1929): Entering of Beersheba Bapaume The British attack at Arras which started on 9-10 April in 1917 had some The Battle of Beersheba (part of The first liberation of Bapaume resounding successes initially, such as the third Battle of Gaza) occurred on on March 19, 1917, was achieved by the stunning attack by the Canadian October 31, 1917, between defending Australian troops who, having sensed Corps at Vimy Ridge. Soon, however, Turkish troops led by German that the German troops stationed the battle slipped into the slogging commanders and the attacking opposite them had withdrawn, literally match that was so typical of the Commonwealth troops. Beersheba ran through the abandoned German Western Front. Meanwhile Australian was strategically important for its trenches to claim the last remaining forces suffered terrible losses in two permanent wells, one of that desert’s prize from the initial goals of the Battle mismanaged battles aimed at capturing only sources of water, which the of the Somme. the fortified village of Bullecourt. For a attacking forces desperately needed. The soldiers’ spirits were further short time they did succeed in breaking The Commonwealth infantry had lifted by the Band of the 5th Australian the Hindenburg line, but it was a short- started the day attacking Beersheba Infantry Brigade, led by Bandmaster lived tactical victory. In the first Battle from the south west but were unable Sergeant A. Peagam of the 19th of Bullecourt over 1,100 Australians to break through. With the need for Battalion, which played Alex Lithgow’s were taken prisoner, the highest water increasingly desperate and the Victoria March as they marched through number in any single action during the dusk light fading, the Australian Light the burning ruins into the old town war. Horsemen were ordered to attack from square. This march is heard half-way The first battle of Bullecourt was the east. They were instructed to use through this movement. a terrible freezing disaster fought in their bayonets as swords as if in an The photograph of the Band snow and slush. The Australian troops archaic cavalry charge, keeping their playing as it entered the town square had succeeded in penetrating the rifles slung across their backs. The was published widely in Australian German trenches but were quickly daring charge over six kilometres of newspapers, and featured prominently surrounded on all sides and soon ran open ground against heavily fortified in a major exhibition mounted at the out of ammunition. The lucky survivors defences should have resulted in a Royal Academy of the Arts in London were instructed by their captors to bury massacre. in 1918. The “Imperial War Exhibition” their dead, which they did in a large pit When the Ottoman troops saw the featured a gallery of Australian official which is probably located just next to on-coming Australians, they opened photographs and war relics, including the town. With luck it will be uncovered fire with shrapnel, machine guns and

122 Flowers of the Great War Flowers of the Great War 123 rifles. However, in the dust and fading soldiers at all – they are madmen!” bite-and-hold operations – the battles light, they mistook the distance with The capture of Beersheba altered of Menin Road, Polygon Wood and most shells falling behind the charging the course of the War in the Holy Land, Broodseinde, in which the Australians horsemen, and their defensive machine opening the way for the whole Turkish did well; but ultimately the battle gun positions were weakened by defensive line to be outflanked. Gaza ended up mired in the mud and rain of accurate British artillery fire. fell a week later and on December 9, Passchendaele. The success of the charge was due 1917, Commonwealth troops entered General Haig had grand ambitions to its rapidity and unexpectedness. Jerusalem. of being able to sweep past Ypres to With the cavalry approaching, the the Channel coast, but the last push to Turkish fire discipline broke and panic Movement 6: Passchendaele in October/November set in. When the Australians reached DIES IRAE, for the Third Battle of Ypres became a desperate struggle, fought the trenches, many of the horses, Nigel Westlake: The Age of for little strategic gain in a desolate having smelt the water, refused to stop, Destruction landscape of mud, water-filled craters leaping over the trenches and galloping and shattered trees. In the Third Battle into the town towards the wells. Of The Third Battle of Ypres started well of Ypres, Commonwealth losses were the 800 Light Horsemen who charged with a summer offensive that began at least 250,000 men (some estimates only 31 were killed, with a further 36 with the great mine detonations under are as high as 310,000), of whom wounded. In contrast, the Turkish Messines Ridge – so massive that the 70,000 were dead. The Germans defenders suffered heavy casualties explosions were reportedly heard in incurred around 200,000 casualties. and 1,148 prisoners were taken. A London, and possibly even Dublin. The Third Ypres was the ultimate German officer described the bold The campaign promised even greater stalemate that would come to headlong charge thus: “Those are not success after a series of effective epitomise the futility of the war of 124 Flowers of the Great War attrition: a vast bog, that drowned the war were dead by 1918, falling to with a bombardment by the largest horses, where artillery shells could the swarms of new improved planes, concentration of artillery of WWI to not detonate, and through which the pilots and anti-aircraft gunners. that point. By April 5 the Germans had heavy guns could not be moved. It Georges Guynemer, the great French advanced 28 miles, as far as the town took up to eight men to carry a single ace, was killed in the Third Battle of of Villers-Bretonneux, where they were wounded man on a stretcher. It became Ypres on September 11, 1917, at the age finally stopped by Australian and British an exercise in futility. There were no of 23. Australia’s greatest aces, Robert troops. trenches left, just shell holes in the Little (killed 27 May 1918 aged 22) and The massive allied counter-attack by sludge, with waves of men dragging Roderic Dallas (killed 1 June 1918 aged Commonwealth, French and American themselves through the morass to 26), were both shot down in France troops on August 8, 1918 (known as the throw themselves at the other side with within four days of each other, on Battle of Amiens) caused the German no rhyme or reason. If ever there was a May 27 and June 1, 1918, respectively. army to lose more ground than on any lowest point, a place where the military Maurice Boyau, the famous Algerian- other day on the Western Front, and strategy became impossible to defend born French Rugby captain, was killed with it 16,000 prisoners. It caused or justify, and the Great War devolved on September 16, 1918; had he lived, German morale to collapse, leading into meaningless slaughter on a vast he might have played in Paris in 1928, Ludendorff to report to Kaiser Wilhelm industrial scale, it was there in Flanders. in the very first test between Australia II that the war was now irretrievably and France. lost. The Australian forces captured Movement 7: a large 15-inch railway gun which had SANCTUS FOR ICARUS, The Fall of Aces Movement 8: been brought up to shell the city, and Nigel Westlake: Wooden Birds Fly BENEDICTUS, Protecting Amiens which now, named the Amiens Gun, Over the Valley of the Somme Nigel Westlake: Symphonies of Glass adorns the grounds of the Australian and Stone War Memorial in Canberra. To this day On 25 July 1909, the French pilot Australians have a special relationship Louis Blériot became the first person Amiens Cathedral (built 1220–1270) with Amiens and its magnificent to cross the English Channel, in an is both the tallest and the largest cathedral, which they and many others airplane which he crash-landed in a cathedral in France, able to fit Notre fought bravely to save. field overlooking the white cliffs of Dame de Paris within it twice. Its Dover. He had beaten Hubert Latham soaring outline dominates the city Movement 9: who had crashed twice into the and the surrounding landscape, and LIBERA ME, for Villers-Bretonneux channel during his attempts. Only five was a revelation to the vast number of Nigel Westlake: I Was Blind – But years later the first English squadrons troops who arrived there by rail during Now I See crossed the other way as they entered World War I. A strategic rail hub for the Great War; the first arming of the both supplies and troop transport, Germany’s Operation Michael skies had begun. Amiens was always a key strategic goal was a spectacularly successful spring Early aircraft were primitive and for the German army, and extensive offensive that took back in a matter highly flawed, and overwhelmingly measures were taken to protect of days all the hard won gains of the the highest number of WWI aviation Amiens Cathedral: the stained glass Somme campaign. The offensive deaths were due to accidents, both windows were carefully removed, and finally stalled at Villers-Bretonneux, human and mechanical. But by 1918 the sandbags were stacked high in the where Australian and British troops great hunters of the sky, the Aces, had nave. The cathedral was hit nine times managed to halt the German advance become famous figures, none more so by shells. Tragically, a fire in the artist’s on Amiens, whose rail network was than Baron Manfred von Richthofen, a studio used to store the stained glass vitally important for the transport of brilliant pilot who was finally killed by destroyed the majority of the medieval Allied troops and supplies. However, an Australian machine gunner. Firing windows. a second attempt by German infantry from the ground, Sgt. Cedric Popkin hit On 21 March 1918, Ludendorff’s and tanks to retake the ridge from him in the heart, causing him to bleed great Spring offensive (Operation exhausted British defenders on 24 April to death. Richthofen crashed near Michael) tried to take the city again. 1918 succeeded. The Australian 13th and Bertangles, where his body was buried Ludendorff planned to punch through 15th Brigades were immediately brought with full honours by the Australian the Commonwealth lines and push forward and along with the 2nd Battalion troops and pilots who found him. He them back to the Channel, forcing of the Northamptonshire Regiment and was twenty-five years old. France to surrender. The ‘Emperor’s the 22nd Durham Light Infantry were Almost all the great flying aces of Battle’ started on March 21, 1918, immediately thrown into a daring night

Flowers of the Great War 125 attack to retake the town. Sir Henry Rawlinson attributed the for anti-aircraft defence. At the end At 10 pm the operation began, with safety of Amiens to the “determination, of January 1916, the Péronne Church German machine gun crews causing tenacity and valour of the Australian was temporarily transformed into a many Australian casualties, until a Corps”. By denying the German artillery prison, housing around 500 French number of charges neutralised those the strategically valuable high ground prisoners. On 7 July 1916, the city was threats. The two Australian brigades where they could have situated their heavily shelled by French artillery and then swept around Villers-Bretonneux heavy guns and observers in order the church lost its windows and several surrounding the German troops in the to destroy Amiens’ railyards, the sculptures. The following day, the town. The British units then attacked Australian troops very likely saved civilians were evacuated, and Father frontally, suffering heavy casualties Amiens Cathedral and much of the Dubois deposited the relics of Saint (including the conductor’s great city from a catastrophically destructive Fursy in the vault of the sacristy before uncle Lt. Col. Stephen Latham). By 25 bombardment. he left. They were never seen again. April, the town had been recaptured Péronne was abandoned by the and the village remained thereafter Movement 10: Germans in March 1917 when they in Allied hands: the German army PIE JESU, for the Liberation of Péronne withdrew eastwards to the Hindenburg would advance no further during Graeme Koehne (b. 1956): Pie Jesu: line; the town was then occupied by the war. The cost to the Australian Prayer of Saint Joan of Arc the British, until they in turn were brigades was 2,473 casualties, British driven out by the German offensive in losses were 9,529, French losses were For most of WWI, the town of March 1918. On the night of August 31, around 3,500; German losses were Péronne was occupied by German the Australian troops under Monash 8,000-10,400 men. troops. Civilian life was deeply affected crossed the Somme River and attacked After the Anzac Day counter- and the town suffered heavily from the dominating stronghold of Mont St attack, British and French commanders waves of artillery bombardments from Quentin at 5 am, from the unexpected lavished praise upon the attacking all sides; almost a third of the town’s northwest side. It was a heroic troops. Brigadier-General George inhabitants became civilian casualties endeavour, involving an uphill fight Grogan, a witness, later wrote that it of the shelling. The war was particularly across very exposed and open ground was “perhaps the greatest individual cruel to Péronne’s Saint-Jean-Baptiste totally dominated by well-defended feat of the war” for troops to attack at Church. In October 1914, the Germans German firing positions embedded in night, across unfamiliar ground, at short occupied the church, and the bell tower the summit. notice and with no artillery preparation. became an important observation post After Mont St Quentin had been Maréchal Foch spoke of their overseeing the front lines. A heavy taken, there followed a day of intense “astonishing valiance”, and General machine gun was even mounted there fighting in Péronne itself before it

126 Flowers of the Great War was finally liberated on September September 18 the Australians under Australian Composers 2 – an achievement General Rawlinson General Sir John Monash attacked, described the as one of the great feats taking 4,300 prisoners, but suffering Nigel Westlake (b. 1958) of the war. After the Armistice of 1918, around 1,000 dead and wounded. On Nigel Westlake’s career in music has the inhabitants of Péronne returned to September 29 Australian and US troops spanned more than four decades, first find their church a shell, with only the attacked at Bellicourt. After four days as a clarinet virtuoso with Australia’s walls still standing, and the centre of of fighting and heavy losses, they broke leading chamber group The Australia the town reduced to ruin by Allied and through at Bellenglise, capturing the Ensemble, and then with guitarist John German bombardment. The Church entrance to the St Quentin canal tunnel Williams’ group Attacca as a composer was chosen to be one of the first and forcing German troops to retreat and performer. As a composer for buildings rebuilt, and by April 1920 this eight kilometres to their last defensive the screen, his film credits include powerful symbol of Péronne’s resilience line. Consisting of thick barbed wire the feature films Ali’s Wedding, Paper and rebirth had been restored to its entanglements (up to 40 metres deep Planes, Miss Potter, Babe, Babe: Pig previous glory. in places) and well-sited machine in the City, Children of the Revolution, gun and anti-tank gun bunkers, the and The Nugget, plus the Imax films Movements 11 & 12: Beaurevoir Line was successfully Antarctica, The Edge, Imagine, Solarmax LUX AETERNA & IN PARADISUM, breached on 3 October. Finally on 5 and many others. His compositions for Bellenglise and Montbrehain – the October, the 6th Australian Brigade took have earned numerous accolades, piercing of the Hindenburg Line Montbrehain, suffering 430 casualties, including the Gold Medal at the New Ross Edwards (b. 1943): Eternal Light a cost now regarded as too high for York International Radio Festival and 15 the strategic gain. With a seventeen APRA awards (Australasian Performing The piercing of the Hindenburg kilometre gap in their main defences Right Assoc.) in the screen & art music line was the Australian infantry’s final and the collapse of domestic support categories. action in the Great War. Over 17 days, for the war, Germany had no choice The feature film Babe won the after six months of fighting with no but to request an armistice, which was Golden Globe Award in 1996 for best break, it cost the Australians 5,500 declared on 11 November. feature musical/comedy, and his dead and wounded, bringing the When peace was finally declared, romantic score for Miss Potter won total since 8 August and the battle of many Australian soldiers spoke of a “Feature Film Score of the Year” & Amiens to 35,000 casualties and over sense of numbness and being too tired “Best Soundtrack Album” at the 2007 7,000 killed. 11 out of 60 battalions had to celebrate. They had given everything APRA / AGSC Screen Music Awards. been disbanded because so few men they had, and many had survived His secular mass Missa Solis – Requiem were left. only to live shortened, stunted lives. for Eli was winner of the prestigious The Hindenburg Line was the The trauma and horror left the dead, 2013 Paul Lowin Orchestral Prize, won last and strongest German defence the survivors and their loved ones all the 2011 Limelight Award for Best New system, with seven separate lines of casualties of war. Composition, was named Orchestral fortifications 11 kilometres deep. On

Flowers of the Great War 127 Work of the Year at the 2012 APRA in deep ecology and his belief in in-Residence. He was awarded a Art Music Awards, and was released the need to reconnect music with Doctorate of Music from the University to critical acclaim on the ABC Classics elemental forces, as well as restore its of Adelaide in 2002 and in 2004 label by the Melbourne Symphony traditional association with ritual and received the Sir Bernard Heinze Award Orchestra, conducted by the composer. dance. His music, universal in that it from the University of Melbourne. In is concerned with age-old mysteries 2014 he was appointed an Officer of Elena Kats-Chernin AO (b. 1957) surrounding humanity, is at the same the Order of Australia (AO). Elena Kats-Chernin AO is one of the time connected to its roots in Australia, most cosmopolitan composers working whose cultural diversity it celebrates, Richard Mills (b. 1949) today, having reached millions of and from whose natural environment it Richard Mills is one of Australia’s most listeners worldwide through her prolific draws inspiration, especially birdsong sought after composers and music catalogue of works for theater, ballet, and the mysterious patterns and drones directors. He is currently Artistic orchestra, and chamber ensemble. of insects. Director of Victorian Opera and Born in 1957 in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), His compositions include a great previously held the post of Artistic Kats-Chernin received training at ongoing cycle of six symphonies, Director of the West Australian the Gnessin Musical College before numerous concertos, and an extensive Opera from 1997 – 2012. In 2008 he immigrating to Australia in 1975. catalogue of choral, chamber and vocal was Musica Viva’s Composer of the After graduating from the New South works, plus film scores, a chamber Year, and from 2002 – 2008 held Wales Conservatory in 1980 she was opera and music for dance. His Dawn the post of Director of the Australian awarded a DAAD (German academic Mantras greeted the dawning of the Music Project for the Tasmanian exchange) grant to study with Helmut new millennium from the sails of the Symphony Orchestra. He is one of the Lachenmann in Hanover. She remained Sydney Opera House in a worldwide few Australian composers who has in Germany for 13 years, returning in telecast. A recipient of the Order of focussed on writing operas, including 1994 to Australia where she now lives Australia and numerous other awards, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, and in Sydney. he is currently the elder statesman of Batavia for Opera Australia and his One of Australia’s leading Australian music and celebrated his masterwork The Love of the Nightingale, composers, Elena Kats-Chernin has 75th birthday in 2018. which premiered at the Perth created works in nearly every genre. International Arts Festival to universal Among her many commissions are acclaim, winning numerous awards. pieces for Ensemble Modern, the Bang Graeme Koehne AO (b. 1956) Some of Richard Mills’ most recent on a Can All-Stars, the Australian Graeme Koehne AO is one of compositions include a score for Chamber Orchestra, the Adelaide, Australia’s leading composers whose the Australian Ballet and his Passion Tasmanian, Queensland, Melbourne music is notable for its emotional According to St. Mark which premiered and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, eloquence and aural pleasure. His around Australia in 2009. His song Present Music, City of London Sinfonia, orchestral compositions such as cycle Songlines of the Heart’s Desire Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Elevator Music, Powerhouse, Shaker received its European premiere at the North Carolina Symphony. She Dances, Inflight Entertainment (oboe the 2010 Edinburgh Festival and his has written extensively for dance, concerto) and High Art (trumpet Organ Concerto was premiered with collaborating with leading Australian concerto) have enjoyed enormous Calvin Bowman and the Melbourne choreographer Meryl Tankard in a popularity through conductors Symphony in August 2011. A notable series of large-scale dance works. She such as Vladimir Jurowski, David recording artist he also has an recently adapted Monteverdi’s three Porcelijn, Edo De Waart and Kristjan extensive discography of over twenty operas (Orpheus, Odysseus, Poppea) at Järvi. He was one of a select group releases with the Australian symphony the Komische Oper Berlin, directed by of Australian, New Zealand and orchestras, including a CD of his major Barrie Kosky, which were broadcast in a Turkish composers commissioned to orchestral works with the Melbourne 12 hour Marathon performance on 3sat contribute to the Gallipoli Symphony, Symphony Orchestra and a three- TV. Her music is published exclusively a 10-year project culminating in 2015 volume CD of the film music of Franz by Boosey & Hawkes. that commemorated the legendary Waxman which was awarded a Preis World War I military campaign. Until der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik. Ross Edwards (b. 1943) recently he also chaired the Music One of Australia’s best-known and Board of the Australia Council, the Andrew Schultz (b. 1960) most performed composers, Ross Australian Government’s arts funding Composer Andrew Schultz was Edwards has created a distinctive advisory body. In 1998-99 he was the born in Australia and lives in Sydney. sound world which reflects his interest state of South Australia’s Composer- He studied at the Universities of 128 Flowers of the Great War Queensland, Pennsylvania and King’s College London and has received awards, prizes and fellowships. His music covers a broad range of chamber, orchestral and vocal works and has been performed and broadcast widely by leading musicians internationally. Schultz has been the recipient of various awards and honours in Australia and overseas, including five Australia Council Fellowships, Fulbright Award, Commonwealth Scholarship, Maggs Award and the APRA Music Award. Recent successes include the Schueler Award, the Paul Lowin Prize and the premiere of his Symphony No. 3 – Century in front of an audience of 150,000 to celebrate the centenary of Australia’s capital, Canberra. Texts He has held many commissions Graeme Koehne (b. 1956) Pie Jesu including from the major Australian Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) (Text by Christopher Latham after Joan orchestras. Andrew has written a Lacrimosa: The Fields of Bullecourt of Arc) number of large scale works including (text by Christopher Latham after the three operas (Black River, Going Into Anglican Funeral Sentences) My body, Shadows and The Children’s Bach) untouched by a lover, Man has only a short time to live, will be burnt by fire, which have been presented live and Man has only a short life of misery, on film around the world. Other major ‘til nothing remains, Death surrounds him the air and wind for a grave, works include three symphonies, With no chance of return, Journey to Horseshoe Bend, Maali, the air and wind for a grave. Endling and Song of Songs. Andrew has He rises up, and is cut down, I am not afraid. held residencies and academic posts in You who knew his secret light; I ask only forgiveness Australia, Canada, France, the UK and Shut not your eyes to my precious from those I have harmed. USA. son I heard a great voice, Shut not your eyes to his gruesome I saw a great light, plight; The angels came - as thousands of stars. Far from home, all alone Freezing cold, losing hold Grant us eternal peace. Closing in, surrounded No escape, tearing flesh, final breath Ross Edwards (b. 1943) Eternal Light

Blessed be he, he who is gone Requiem aeternam dona eis Without a trace not even a mound Lux aeterna Entombed alone and forlorn. Blessed be he who has vanished, Ross Edwards In Paradisum Blessed be he who has perished, We the dead speak to you the living: Let him be loved and be cherished, make peace, a lasting peace. Blessed be my son. Make peace. Bless’d be my son, my elation Grant him his final salvation Blessed be my son.

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