Given Days

Amateur: SATB (including 2 solo soprano voices), 2 narrators

Folk group: guitar, fiddle, bodhran, 7 large wheel sockets or other rich chimes

Professional: violin, violoncello, clarinet (bass clarinet), horn & baritone

35 minutes

Texts: Jonathan Lennie, the Fair Isle community and various Shetland poets.

Sound sample of Radio Shetland

interview with the composer.

Sound sample - from movement 2, Autumn, Winter.

Sound sample - from movement 3, Spring.

Given Days

“After the usual periods of high winds, driving rain, heavy salt and gales, We often get a day of calm bright sunshine – a ‘given day’. Then we appreciate being alive, being here on Fair Isle, and so we do different things – a walk up Malcolm’s Head or off in a yoal perhaps. These “God-given days” are special.”

The community of Fair Isle commissioned the work for the Classic Fair Isle Festival held on the island during August 2002.

Funds were provided by the Awards for All Programme (involving the Heritage Lottery Fund,

the Scottish Arts Council, SportScotland and the National Lottery Charities Board), the Shetland Arts Trust, the Shetland Islands Council (Department of Education and Community Services),

The Kenneth Leighton Trust and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, as well as through local events.

It was first performed in the Fair Isle Community Hall on 23rd August 2002 conducted by the composer. The professional performers were Stuart King (clarinets), Evgeny Chebykin (horn), Emily Davies (violin) Clare O’ Connell (‘cello) and Andy Ross (baritone). The amateur performers were the Fair Isle Choir (directed by Lise Sinclair), members of the Shetland Choral Society (directed by Ruth Sharville) and a folk group of local musicians. The wheel sockets were generously provided by Maxe Jamieson.

“...This premiere... ...it’s given me more pleasure and ultimately, I think, is a great deal more important than all those premieres at the Proms this year in London because it actually has come from the people. ... it is of the sea and of the earth.”

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Radio Shetland, August 2002

Read the article on the festival by Jonathan Lennie

Read the article on the festival by Kathy Hubbard

Read the flier for Classic Fair Isle

View the original hymn tune: Glimster

Given Days - during rehearsals

Rehearsing the wheel socket section

Alastair Stout and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

Narrators - Jonathan Lennie and Mary Blance