This recording captures the debut performance of the English Symphony Chorus, a group assembled for this project from professional singers across the UK.
Notable Performances
The planned premiere of "Mayflower on The Sea of Time" in Worcester Cathedral in April 2020 and a second performance at the Three Choirs Festival in July 2020 were both cancelled due to the pandemic lockdown.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The libretto for the oratorio, written by Philip R. Groom, incorporates both a historical narrative and a reflection on human attributes, frailties, and moral, religious, and political questions.
Compositional Technique
Composer Philip Sawyers incorporated a short quote from Thomas Tomkins' motet 'We brought nothing into this world' into the oratorio, as Tomkins spent most of his later years in Worcester.
Composer Biography
Edward Winslow, a Pilgrim central to the Mayflower story and a character in the oratorio, was born in Droitwich and educated at King's School Worcester.
Historical Context
The work was intended to be part of the national Mayflower 400 commemorations, marking the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower's sailing to Plymouth Colony in 1620.
Composition History
Philip Sawyers' oratorio, "Mayflower on The Sea of Time," was commissioned by Anne Renshaw and funded by Worcester City Council for the Worcestershire Schools choral programme in 2020.
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