Edges

A song cycle (10 songs)composed by Rick Birley2004-6 [Soprano, violin & piano]

www.rickbirley.com

“Edges” was recorded live in St Mary’s Church,Dorchester (Dorset), at the end of May 2008. Soprano – Abbi Temple Violin – Jennifer Curiel Piano – Peter Oakes



The songs were composed over a period of nearly two years from 2004, being completed in January 2006. No.6 - “the first Day’s Night” - is based on a piece I originally composed for the “Songs of Time” in 1997.





EDGES



1. The Madwoman of Cork

2. Casting

3. Counting the Mad

4. A Birthday Poem

5. The Butterfly

6. The first Day’s Night had come…

7. Ecclesiastes

8. Noon Walk on the Asylum Lawn

9. Love’s Madness

10. Hospital for Defectives



Most of the poems are written about or by people suffering mental health problems, and the sense of the collection is that we all exist on a fragile "Edge", capable of slipping (often without warning) into difficult states of mind. More information can be found on my website: www.rickbirley.com