Songs of an Unnamed Kingdom

Songs of an Unnamed Kingdom – 2019 (cl, tbn, sop, sop, sop, mezzo, perc, vln, vc) performed by Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble and Eco Ensemble 15’00”

Songs of an Unnamed Kingdom is the retelling of an Irish folk song often named Polly Vaughn (though there are many variants). In the original Young Jimmy shoots and kills Polly Vaughn, then claims he mistook her for a swan. He is tried for her murder, but during the trial Polly Vaughn’s ghost appears to explain that her killing was not Young Jimmy’s fault, as she herself had made the fatal mistake of looking like a swan.

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