Watch/Listen

This is a small, relevant selection of Owen’s output as a composer and performer.

Las Aguas Tranquilas (2018)

Las Aguas Tranquilas is in a slow milonga style. The 3-3-2 bordoneo accompaniment, a rhythmic constant throughout most of this piece, provides a base for the sinuous floating melody.

Performed in a house concert by latin-Grammy nominated Duo Ramírez-Satorre.

Se Cae Naranja (2017)

Commission for performance by the Excelsia College Vocal Ensemble

Se Cae Naranja takes inspiration from zamba, a folk-music style of Argentina. Using poetry by Roberta Maegli, for an SATB vocal-quartet accompanied by pedal-harp, Se Cae Naranja captures the vivid imagery of the Argentine-Spanish text.

Renee Stein – Soprano, Emily-Rose Šarkova – Alto, Owen Salomé – Tenor, Albert Lin – Baritone, Tristan Hons – Harp

Se cae naranja, El sol maduro, Del borde del mundo

Y caminamos, Diciendo qué, Naranja

Esta bella luz Madura, Al borde, De la noche

Zamba de Roberta (2016, revised 2018)

Zamba de Roberta was written as a thank-you present for the bandoneonist Roberta Maegli, after an extended stay in her house in Buenos Aires. Roberta is a great fan of the zamba (a musical style from Buenos Aires), and many mornings during the time I was in Buenos Aires, Roberta would be sitting outside drinking tea and singing zambas, accompanying herself on the bandoneon when I emerged from my room.

I revised the piece to include a harp accompaniment, with help from the harpist Tristan Hons.

Owen Salomé – Bandoneón, Tristan Hons – Harp

 

 

By Night (2017)

Written for the Excelsia College senior aural perception ensemble, and using the poetry of the puritan poet Anne Bradstreet. This piece was written to help my university sight-singing students gain some first-hand experience singing poly-modal music. There is an intensity to text, which appealed to me. Performed here as an SATB vocal quartet.

Renee Stein – Soprano, Emily-Rose Šarkova – Alto, Owen Salomé – Tenor, Albert Lin – Baritone
1 
By night when others soundly slept 
And hath at once both ease and Rest, 
My waking eyes were open kept 
And so to lie I found it best. 
2 
I sought him whom my Soul did Love, 
With tears I sought him earnestly. 
He bow’d his ear down from Above. 
In vain I did not seek or cry. 
3 
My hungry Soul he fill’d with Good; 
He in his Bottle put my tears, 
My smarting wounds wash’d in his blood, 
And banisht thence my Doubts and fears. 
4 
What to my Saviour shall I give 
Who freely hath done this for me? 
I’ll serve him here whilst I shall live 
And Love him to Eternity. 

Fugato (2014)

This fugato develops along the line of the fugues of Ástor Piazzolla. The fast 32 bar subject is thrown into a whirling development as it is joined by not less than 3 countersubjects. This piece is angular and exciting.

Performed by Tángalo