Salve Regina a 5 was written specifically for the 5-person FifteenB Consort, it was the only work in their programme A TRE in which all 5 singers sang an individual part. This programme was performed in London and Oxford in February 2005 by Rowena Wells, Alison Cross, Sally Prime, Robert Hugill and John McLeod and was repeate in March 2005 at the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music. After an initial invocation, the work develops as a gentle march for the 4 lower parts over which the soprano sings a lyrical setting of the words which explois a degree of bitonality in the musical material. The opening material returns and is developed, followed by the march sung this time by the lowere 3 parts with the 2 sopranos singing the soprano tune in thirds. The piece closes with a return of the opening material.
Robert Hugill