Weather Report

for SSAATTBB unaccompanied
The weather, the most quintessentially English of topics, was the inspiration for this work. Chilcott weaves together a tapestry of well-known weather rhymes, such as 'The rain it raineth every day upon the just and the unjust fella', and 'Whether the weather', in a work that is energetic, quirky, and entertaining. His choral writing is inventive and full of character, using layered rhythms and jazzy harmonies. This will be a fun piece to perform, and perfect as a light addition to any concert programme.

Bob Chilcott (b.1955)

"Weather Report is a classic closer, written in 2005 for the BBC Singers' tour of Japan, and is as virtuoso a piece of choral writing as it requires virtuosity to sing. Chilcott, in setting a series of whimsical sayings on familiar British weather patterns (rain, mostly), employs his fulll jazz-inspired palette of harmonic and vocal colour while the rhythms, often split into two or three layers as the work concludes, come together in bursts of thrilling unity. Expect to hear this number in a few choral competitions before long! In the right hands, it will take the roof off." - Matthew Greenall, The Singer, June 07

"Weather Report takes Chilcott back to his days with the King's Singers: close harmonies, witty music and texts, effortless choral virtuosity. The words here are indeed meteorological but mischievously altered, here with a pun, there a proverb. Thus 'Dirty days have September, April, June and November' to be sung 'steady and a bit sleazy', and so on. This would be a holiday to listen to, but very challenging to sing." - Peter Dale, Choir & Organ, May 07