MAIDEN VOYAGE
An Australian Song Cycle
It is time the work of ordinary women alongside some of our most exceptional women is recognised for its essential value to our society.
MAIDEN VOYAGE
Maiden Voyage gives credit to the extraordinary women who have contributed so much to the history and wealth of Australia. Mary Penfold, the "mother of Australian wine", does not rate an entry under her own name in the Dictionary of Australian Biography, yet she planted the first vines and made the wine. Louisa Lawson, writer, publisher and advocate for female suffrage, is forgotten while her son Henry is lauded.
Maiden Voyage is a cycle of 13 songs written by Melbourne composer Lorraine Milne. The lyrics trace the experiences and achievements of ordinary and extraordinary Australian women in historical and contemporary settings. The music reflects Lorraine’s background as a classically trained musician overlaid with her deep love of Jazz and experience as a theatre composer.
The stories woven through Maiden Voyage embrace the forming of Australia as an island continent, convicts and prostitutes, free settlers, currency born, the fight for female suffrage, English migration between the two world wars, survival in the outback, the cultural drain, the Vietnam war, GDP and what is valued. It concludes with a celebration of the legacy given to us from these extraordinary women, many of whom were not recognised in their lifetimes for their achievements.
Maiden Voyage is a cycle of 13 songs written by Melbourne composer Lorraine Milne. The lyrics trace the experiences and achievements of ordinary and extraordinary Australian women in historical and contemporary settings. The music reflects Lorraine’s background as a classically trained musician overlaid with her deep love of Jazz and experience as a theatre composer.
The stories woven through Maiden Voyage embrace the forming of Australia as an island continent, convicts and prostitutes, free settlers, currency born, the fight for female suffrage, English migration between the two world wars, survival in the outback, the cultural drain, the Vietnam war, GDP and what is valued. It concludes with a celebration of the legacy given to us from these extraordinary women, many of whom were not recognised in their lifetimes for their achievements.
“Spotlighting the experiences and achievements of ordinary and extraordinary Australian women in historical and contemporary settings”
Samples from the Music CD: Maiden Voyage which contains 13 tracks about ordinary and extraordinary women in Australian history.
SHIFTING SOUTHMolten red explosion,
Wrenching crust, upward thrust, Wind and fire collusion, Heaving earth giving birth. |
DAMNED ONCEWhat cost the price of this woman damned?
Then damned again, At the mercy of convicted men |
QUIET COURAGEListen to a story of courage and strength,
Of women in a distant and hostile land. Sail the oceans ever southward, To anchor in crystal clear waters With a fringe of un-spoilt sand. |
Resources for choirs and secondary students
CD MAIDEN VOYAGE
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There are two versions of the Maiden Voyage score available from the Australian Music Centre.
The original, published in 1997, is scored for two female voices (mezzo-soprano and alto) with piano accompaniment.
In 2013, the songs were rearranged for three-part female choir and soloist with piano accompaniment. It is this version that is recorded on the Maiden Voyage CD. It is also the version detailed in the accompanying Music Resource Kit written by Julie Montague.
Score for mezzo-soprano, 3-part female choir, and piano MAIDEN VOYAGE
Year: 1997, this version: 2013
Instrumentation: Mezzo-soprano, 3-part female choir, piano. Duration: 34 min. Difficulty: Advanced 1. Shifting South 2. Damned Once (solo) 3. Quiet Courage 4. Thank ‘em for Aussie Wine 5. Oh Louisa 6. A Woman in the House (solo) 7. Australian Air 8. A Matter of Survival 9. A Woman Is Not the Right Man (solo) 10. Who Cares! 11. Birthday Ballot (solo) 12. No Value 13. In the End. |
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Score for duos: mezzo-soprano and alto with piano MAIDEN VOYAGE
Year: 1997
Instrumentation: Mezzo-soprano, alto, piano. The cycle can be sung by a single female voice (mezzo soprano) with piano accompaniment. Duration: 40 min. Difficulty: Medium — Amateur or professional. 1. Shifting South 2. Damned Once 3. Quiet Courage 4. Thank ‘em for Aussie Wine 5. Oh Louisa 6. A Woman in the House 7. Australian Air 8. A Matter of Survival 9. A Woman Is Not the Right Man 10. Who Cares! 11. Birthday Ballot 12. No Value 13. In the End |
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Music Resource Kit MAIDEN VOYAGE
This resource kit is the result of a collaboration between the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, UNESCO Arts Education Observatory and the Australian Society for Music Education. Written for secondary students, the intention of the guide is to explore the creative process of musical composition by:
Published by and available from the Australian Music Centre, the Maiden Voyage kit is accompanied by a CD and a digital pdf score. |
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