Some Repented

OMP 151 Lance Eccles, Some Repented

I have reviewed Lance Eccles's music before, and so simply remind you that he is by profession a senior lecturer in Chinese at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, and a member of the Reluctant Consort since 1982.

The subtitles of these three pieces arte: "The Magdalene Repentant", "Jezebel Unrepentant" and "Salome Triumphant". Understanding who these three Biblical women are helps the performers to understand the pieces themselves.

"The Magdalene Repentant" refers to Mary Magdalene and is a lovely, sombre piece that would work well during Lent, for those of us who play in church services.

"Jezebel Unrepentant", referring to the wicked queen who gave the prophet Elijah such a headache, is moderately exuberant but edgy harmonically. "Salome Triumphant" is a wild, chromatic movement - as wild as her dance for the head of John the Baptist must have been.

These are three very nice works, and the third one, especially, would be a good piece for a student ensemble to use to practise tuning non-traditional Western harmonies without finding an "exercise in chromaticism".

Actually, all three would be fine choices for a less experienced ensemble as they are not too difficult (although the alto part goes clear to the top of the range more than once.)

Scott Paterson, American Recorder, January 2007