Music by Eric Pazdziora.
Story and Lyrics by Padraic Colum, from The King of Ireland’s Son (1916), adapted by John Patrick Pazdziora.
Premiered by The Daraja Ensemble:
Grace Ju-Yeon Wang, flute
Michael Homme, oboe
Michele Von Haugg, clarinet
Joshua Blumenthal, horn
Sam Fraser, bassoon
Sarah Best, mezzo-soprano
Eric Pazdziora, narrator
Program Notes
“THE UNIQUE TALE” appears in the middle of the story of Padraic Colum’s 1916 fairy- tale novel The King of Ireland’s Son. Colum retells and reimagines elements of several Irish folk stories into a haunting, sometimes uncanny story of love and sacrifice. My musical setting incorporates spoken and sung words (adapted from Colum’s text by John Patrick Pazdziora) with the illustration and accompaniment of the woodwind quintet.
