A Different World

This short work was written when I was composing the opera Inès de Castro. In the love music, there is a yearning for an imaginary world where the lovers’ dreams might be fulfilled, far from the political and military intrigues which lead to their violent separation. A Different World relates to some of this music, but in also alluding to plainsong and a famous Passion chorale, it expresses a deeper yearning before veering into an obsessive and brutal coda.
James MacMillan

Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer