Full Fathom Five

Graham Patterson's setting of Full Fathom Five captures the enigmatic transformation described in Shakespeare's text. This adventurous work for SAATTBB voices explores the imagery of a drowned sailor whose remains are made of coral and whose eyes become pearls. Patterson's music vividly portrays the sea-change into "something rich and strange," culminating in the ethereal, echoing calls of sea-nymphs and the final, tolling bell. A secular part-song, this piece offers a dramatic and evocative musical experience, drawing on the rich tradition of setting English poetry for unaccompanied choir.