‘A Farewell’, a beautiful work by Elaine Hagenberg set to rich poetry by Frances Anne Kemble, was due to be performed by University of Birmingham Consort before cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With many of them not having the chance to sing one final time together before leaving University, they have decided to gather a group of friends to do so virtually. The singers are made up of students, past and present of the University of Birmingham. For many of them, the project was their last time to sing together as students and share the joy of singing with everyone. Each independent track has been brought together in a virtual model of the Elgar Concert Hall, the beautiful performing venue at the Bramall Music Building, University of Birmingham.

The music reflects the temporary farewell to what we love – making music with our amazing friends. Having just had an extraordinary week of pure music with the Fanny Davies Music Festival followed closely by the colossal mammoth of a Spring Concert on Wednesday evening. As this Spring Term comes to a close and we have three weeks of rest, it is good to reflect on the incredible amount of music we’ve managed to make this year and carrying on (almost) as if there wasn’t a pandemic going on. This term, we’ve been to the West End, we’ve put together concerts in exactly no time whatsoever (not that you would ever know!); Miss Houlder put an amazing performance with her all-female band, ‘Mamma Jamma’; and we’ve had countless rehearsals from early morning until late at night for the Spring Concert, plus so much more. What the girls have accomplished this term fills me and the Music Department with such great pride, but for now we say farewell and see you soon for another music filled term in the summer!

Text (adapted from Frances Anne Kemble’s ‘An Entreaty’):

Once more, once more,
Once more into the sunny fields let me stray!
And drink the joy that young existence yields on a bright, cloudless day.

One more, once more let me behold the summer sky, with its blue eyes,
And join the wild wind’s voice of melody,
as far and free it flies.

Once more, once more let me stand and hear the gushing spring,
As its bright drops fall starlike, fast and clear,
in the sunshine sing,
Oh, once more, let me list the soft sweet breeze at evening mourn:
Oh let me say farewell, once more,
and to my task I will return,

Oh, lovely earth!
Oh, blessed smiling sky!
The music of the wood, the wave, the wind!
Oh, blessed earth,
Oh, blessed smiling sky.
I linger.

Fare ye well, lovely earth!
Oh, blessed smiling sky,
farewell lovely earth!
Farewell, blessed sky.

Bright hill and bosky dell,
Clear spring and haunted night-blowing flowers pale,
Smooth lawn and lonely vale,
Flow’ry land and sunny sky,
And echo sweet, my playmate shy,
Sleeping lakes and sparkling fountains,
Shelt’ring woods and mountains,

Fare ye well, farewell,
fare ye well, farewell!
Fare ye well.

Maki Gajic Murata, Composer in Residence