Cecilia McDowell Da Vinci Requiem, Seventy Degrees Below Zero

“Da Vinci Requiem brings together my chosen Latin texts from the Missa pro Defunctis with extracts from The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, and is structured in seven movements in the shape of an arch... It has been a fascinating exploration, aligning Leonardo’s extraordinary insights, both artistic and philosophical, with such a profound and ancient text. Seventy degrees below zero is a three-movement work for chamber orchestra and tenor soloist. [Inspired by work carried out by the Scott Polar Research Institute], the phrase for the title was taken from Scott’s Letter to his wife: ‘Dear, it is not easy to write because of the cold – 70 degrees below zero’. The scientific exploration and data collected by Captain Scott’s team at the beginning of the 20th century still powerfully underlies the research which continues to this day. It was with a desire to join the past with the present that I asked the poet, Seán Street, to write two poems to accompany Scott’s words: words from ‘then’ and words from ‘now’.” - Cecilia McDowall Award-winning British composer, particularly known for her choral compositions. One of the most popular living composers, ranked in 2022 at number 15 in the list of most performed living composers in the world, and the most popular British woman composer (Bachtrack Classical Music Statistics 2022). Her music is commissioned and performed by leading choirs and her works are regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 3.