The Last Twilight
(1980) For SATB chorus and instrumental group
Duration 13'
Orchestration 3hn.4tpt.4tb/perc
Commissioned by Anthony Branch and New Mexico D H Lawrence Festival

Premiere: 20 July 1980, Paolo Soleri Theatre, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Chorus of Santa Fe, Landon Young, conductor

Publisher:  Novello & Co Ltd

Composer's Note:

The Last Twilight is intended as a theatre work, however it may also be performed in concert version. It is written for large chorus divided into: MAIN CHORUS (the white man): SEMICHORUS (the Indians): SUPERNUMERARIES (torchbearers): PENITENTES (a religious sect of flagellants from the Sangre de Christos mountains in New Mexico): GUNMAN.

The stage can be decorated with plants from the high desert, sumac, juniper and so on. Downstage centre a campfire is laid with Navajo rugs around it.

Semichorus, Penitentes and gunman should be in costume; main chorus and torchbearers should wear long black cloaks.

At the first performance in the Soleri Theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the orchestra was seated on a bridge above the stage. The four trumpets on a still higher level, two on one side, two on the other. The percussion was in a balcony off the stairs leading down to the stage. In other theaters the orchestra can of course be seated very differently. But it is important to keep the stereophonic positioning of the trumpets.

Tubular bells (chimes) and a big bell to be played by chorus members should be preset upstage. One of the chorus has a small hand drum and another plays an Indian type rattle.

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