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Track(s) taken from SIGCD436

Orphan Girl

First line:
I am an orphan girl
composer
Brendan Graham (b1945)
arranger
Desmond Earley (b1974)
author of text
Brendan Graham (b1945)

Abby Molloy (mezzo-soprano), University College Dublin Choral Scholars, Kevin Whyms (guitar), Desmond Earley (conductor)
Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
Recording details: March 2015
Castleknock College Chapel, Dublin, Ireland
Produced by Nigel Short
Engineered by Andrew Mellor
Release date: December 2015
Total duration: 5 minutes 15 seconds
 

Reviews

‘I have nothing but admiration for the singing on this disc, the young singers produce a lovely clear sound and form a sophisticated ensemble when it comes to the various styles of music required of them in these pieces. Desmond Earley is clearly a talented director’ (Planet Hugill)» More
Orphan Girl was written by Brendan Graham for a ceremony held in 2012 at Sydney’s Hyde Park Barracks to commemorate the relocation of over four thousand female orphans who were brought from Ireland during the Great Famine of the 1840s. An Orphan & Pauper Scheme was devised by Henry George Grey during his time as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies (1846-1852) and was designed to resettle destitute girls from the failing network of workhouses to a land in much need of females. It is sung from the perspective of one of these girls on the night before her inspection, which would decide whether she could travel to this far-away land, Australia. Graham wrote the song to ‘help fade the girls into history’. The names of some of the girls are etched into a glass wall memorial now standing in Sydney’s Hyde Park. Orphan Girl was first performed by the Australian Girls’ Choir and Sarah Calderwood at the 2012 ceremony.

from notes by Desmond Earley © 2015

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