Alec Roth

Alec Roth (1948) is an English composer. He is best known for his collaboration with Vikram Seth to produce the opera Arion and the Dolphin in 1994 based on the myth of Arion.[1]

Roth studied music from 1976 as a mature student at Durham University, having previously completed a science degree at the University of Nottingham.[2] He earned a doctorate from Durham in 1986.[3] His thesis was entitled New composition for Javanese gamelan.[4]

Works, editions and recordings
  • California Songbook - settings of poems written by Vikram Seth when he was living on the West Coast of the US
  • Sometime I Sing - settings for solo voice and guitar, including: My Lute and I; Dark Night; 3 Night Songs; Autumnal; English Folk Songs; Lights Out. Mark Padmore, Morgan Szymanski piano. Signum Records, 2013
  • Earthrise (2009) - A choral work inspired by the photograph of the same name taken from lunar orbit in 1968, considering the positive and negative sides of the human race's mastery and control of the world. The work was commissioned by the UK choir Ex Cathedra for the 40th anniversary of its founding, which was in the same year (2009) as the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing. It was written for 40-part choir, on the model of Thomas Tallis's famous Spem in alium.[5] Earthrise also includes an example of eye music - in the central two pages of the work, the music's layout spells out the word 'ecce' (the Latin for 'behold') as the choir sings the same word.
  • A Time to Dance (2012) - An oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra on the theme of the seasons of the year, the times of day and the stages of the human lifespan.[6] Hyperion Records, 2016

References
  1. Jack Richard Literature 2005 p181 "The libretto was published to coincide with the first performance of an opera of the same name, with music by English composer Alec Roth, at the English National Opera in London, in 1 994. Seth returned to the novel form with An Equal Music .."
  2. Whetstone, David (29 June 2010). "Alec Roth returns to Brinkburn Music Festival". The Journal. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  3. Moyes, Arthur. Hatfield 1846-1996. Hatfield Trust. p. 316.
  4. Alec, Roth (1986). New composition for Javanese gamelan. etheses.dur.ac.uk (Doctoral). Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  5. Jeffrey Skidmore and Alec Roth: Notes to CD "Shared Ground", Signum Classics SIGCD270, pp4-5.
  6. Alec Roth: Notes to CD "A Time to Dance", Hyperion Records CDA68144.


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