Uneasy birth of a newwork

Oct 22 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

STEPHEN PRATT, the Liverpool-born composer and Professor of Music at Liverpool Hope University, will unveil his latest composition, Uneasy Vespers II, tomorrow night at the Philharmonic Hall.

The piece was commissioned by Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 for the RLPO and choir.

The concept for Uneasy Vespers goes back to the late 1980s when Stephen was commissioned by the RLPO and Granada TV to compose a piece for the RLP Society’s 150th anniversary.

He began composing the second half of the piece in 1991, but, due to new work projects emerging, had to put back the final completion until three years ago.

Uneasy Vespers is about the reception of scientific discovery; the first part tells the stages by which the sun became identified as the heart of the solar system and the difficulties the Church had in reconciling this with existing theories.

The second part focuses on the development of the atomic bomb, and the devastation and human suffering after its deployment.

Stephen said: “It will be wonderful to finally share the second part of Uneasy Vespers. It has been many years in the making, but I am now very proud of the piece.”