Anima was written for the wonderful Daisy Livesey. It explores the idea of the Anima, the spirit which is ever yearning to be free, but is often forced down, wingclipped and shamed. I wrote the text based on this idea. The music itself evolved out of the Geistmotif of Schumann – in his quasi halicinatory states – in part because the music was designed to follow some Schumann and in part because I have always been stunned by the sheer beauty of this little motif. Perhaps there was a reason that simplicity kept appearing to him, and that he heard it as the voice of angels.

I am infinitely grateful for Daisy’s performance of this piece, at St Alfege in Greenwich, and the way she has taken the music under her wing. She is a beautiful singer and I am also enawed by Alison Ma’s playing of this fiendishly difficult part with such grace.

I hope you like it and I am always looking for commissions. The score may be purchased here, though ownership of the score does not bring performance rights with it – please contact me if you want to perform this music – I would very much love that!