In 1935–6, Barber wrote two a cappella settings that formed his Op 8. The virgin martyrs, a setting from Helen Waddell’s translation of Sigebert of Gembloux, is a charming motet for four-part female voices, motivically and harmonically subtle.

from notes by Meurig Bowen © 2015

In 1935–6, Barber wrote two a cappella settings that formed his Op 8. Let down the bars, O death is an intense, expressive miniature, the poem by Emily Dickinson. In a letter in 1936, Barber declared: ‘I wrote a little chorus the other morning, quite good, it will be alright for someone’s funeral.’ Forty-five years later, in early 1981, it was presumably more than alright for Barber’s own funeral and subsequent memorial service—a piece carefully prescribed in advance by the composer himself, alongside Dover Beach, Summer Music for wind quintet and some organ music by Barber’s idol, J S Bach.

from notes by Meurig Bowen © 2015