If you are interested in choral music you may well have had Paul Carr's celebrated Requiem for An Angel.
Two years ago Classic FM made a recording of the work, conducted by brother Gavin, its album of the week.
The work by the Bath composer was also performed locally by Bath Minerva Choir and Bath Philharmonia.
Paul, who now lives on the new Western Riverside development in Bath has the world premier of his new work Seven Last Words from the Cross being performed on Saturday at Bath Abbey.
Again Bath Minerva Choir and Bath Philharmonia will be performing the work and they will be conducted by Gavin.
Paul says he is not a particularly religious person in the formal sense but that he is drawn to the subject of Jesus Christ and the Mother Mary and the persecution they suffered at the hands of others through fear, ignorance and loathing.
Of the new work he says: "The Seven Last Words take the form of sentences attributed to Jesus in the final stages as he hung dying on the cross. Crucifixion is one of the most painful and punishing forms of death there is – you only have to read the physical reports of what the body actually goes through during crucifixion to understand the pain incurred as the slow, drawn-out process leads to eventual death. So there are moments in the score of, I hope, beauty, tenderness, of sorrow and bleakness – but of course there are moments too when this extreme pain and anguish is felt; but it's not only a personal pain, but more a pain as expressed through Jesus for the sufferings and wrongdoings of the world as a whole, from times past and also for the times in which we live now."
Opera and music has always been important to Paul and after studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama he embarked on a career in opera stage management. His mother was a much loved Australian soprano and his brother Gavin is a celebrated singer as well as a conductor.
Paul has already written musical works in all forms – except as yet an opera. He wrote, among other piece, a cello concerto for Natalie Clein and an oboe concerto for Nicholas Daniel.
So what happens to the new work after Saturday. Paul says: "It is my intention to record this work on a second disc of choral music. The success of the Requiem disc on the Stone Records label prompts me to want to do another.
"The Requiem CD went straight on to Classic FM and on to iTunes which made it readily accessible to all – it also makes learning a new work for choral societies that much easier if it can be bought or downloaded.
"So I'm hoping to record the Seven Last Words with three other choral pieces of mine in the summer – with my brother's professional choir, Chorus Angelorum and Bath Phil. Hopefully I will be able to get the remaining funds needed for this venture. But if not, at least it will have had what I think will be a rather special 'premiere' in Bath Abbey, presented by the progressive brilliance of the choir and skilful individuals who made it happen."
