James Whitbourn's Apollo tells the story of the first manned flight to the Moon (the year before the first lunar landing). A wealth of imaginative textures depicts such dramatic events as countdown, ignition, and the first sight of earthrise, leading to a fantasia on an ancient Greek melody, and a final triumphant Paean.

About the Author
Dr James Whitbourn graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford, before embarking on a distinguished career as composer, conductor, producer and academic. He began his career in music at the BBC, from 1990 to 2001 he served as Editor of BBC Radio 3's weekly Choral Evensong series and he produced the BBC broadcasts of Carols from King's for more than thirty years. A member of Oxford University's Faculty of Music, Whitbourn was Fellow and Director of Music at St Edmund Hall, Senior Research Fellow at St Stephen's House, and Director of Music at Harris Manchester College. Whitbourn joined Oxford University Press as an exclusive house composer in 2019. His substantial catalogue has a focus on choral writing and is popular on both sides of the Atlantic - particularly his concert-length portrait of Anne Frank, Annelies; and the multi-media choral work Luminosity. Whitbourn's work has been recognised internationally, receiving four GRAMMY nominations. He died in March 2024.

Reviews
This imaginative new work deserves the attention of recitalists . . . I hope the curious will be persuaded that this music is worth exploring. It requires fairly advanced technique. * Christopher Maxim, Organists' Review, March 2020 *
The piece was premiered in Houston, and in a big building with a flamboyant instrument, it could prove an interesting endeavour. * Stephen Farr, Choir & Organ, March 2020 *



Book Information
ISBN 9780193532410
Author James Whitbourn
Page Count 16
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 78g
Dimensions(mm) 308mm * 232mm * 2mm