James Whitbourn: The Seven Heavens - The Life Of C.S. Lewis In The Planets Of The Middle Ages (Vocal Score)
The Seven Heavens - The Life Of C.S. Lewis In The Planets Of The Middle Ages is a work by James Whitbourn for SATB Chorus and Orchestra. The piece was commissioned by the Belfast Philharmonic Society on the occasion of their 140th Anniversary Season 2014-5, and first performed in the Ulster Hall on 30th May 2015 by Belfast Philharmonic Choir. The work lasts around 31 minutes and this is the Vocal Score . This Vocal Score is compatible with both the Orchestral version and the Chamber Ensemble version. The libretto is a "musical portrait of C.S. Lewis", viewed through the lens of the seven heavens of the pre-Copernican model of the solar system, in which Lewis had a deep interest. The seven movements follow these seven planets, which also correspond to the days of the week, telling the story of Lewis's life. The text itself is drawn from a variety of sources, including the Orphic hymns, Psalms, Shakespeare, Shelley, C.S. Lewis himself, and others.