Christmas Haikus for Baritone and Piano (mp3)

Canon Albert Radcliffe, a canon at Manchester Cathedral, provided a collection of Haikus for me to set to music. I utilized the octatonic mode, a rather unique choice for vocal compositions, given its perfect fit for Canon Albert's uncommon perspective on the narrative of Christmas. The first Haiku is about a person who asked snow to reveal its knowledge about God, only to be overwhelmed by the sheer brightness. The second Haiku describes a person requesting the stars to communicate through a softer light, yet they remained silent.