twice heart musical work english composer variously described dramatic song cycle chamber opera dramatic song cycle cum scored soprano sets english language scottish poet based script television programme woman jailed killing violent husband originally intended length opera twice composed undergoing substantial reworking found form satisfied performed concert hall opera house critical reception generally favourable authors commenting positively instrumental writing emotional impact work critics limitations find mood work note great demands vocal writing provides background composition based poetry documentary written bbc television series words film concerned legal system treats men women kill particular law united_kingdom interpreted allowing defence murder context happened immediately homicide excluding battered woman defence considers broader context involved years violent abuse chose base poems specific true case woman refused evidence court years violence husband eventually led stabbing twice heart kitchen knife time programme broadcast freed conviction reduced plea accepted previously composed length opera greek worked musical version twice commissioned learnt original work shown copy bbc video poet artistic director difficult development point abandoning work favour pieces composer started intention developing length opera including soprano original television script included poems judge woman creators felt attempts expanding original work water impact eventually cut apart woman words text setting underwent repeated changes detail changed wording easier sing similarly revised music trying performance composer association able thoroughly workshop twice companion piece arriving respective final versions description twice heart lasts approximately minutes consists musical numbers arranged sections narrated woman prison cell sent murder husband express woman feelings deliberately chose voice wanted voice everyday music includes similarly basic material critic describes simple tunes transformed distorted metaphor initial loving intimacy destroyed distorted years violence abuse musical language modernist influenced jazz area musical interest shared instrumental scoring flute doubling alto flute doubling doubling bass horn trumpet piano doubling violin double bass percussion consists suspended bass drum pedal bass drum whip work way woman tells husband beat threatened picked kitchen knife defend inside woman jail thinking failed lawyer advice evidence husband violence want love remembers husband loved things went wrong child born sea thinks felt trapped house sea talk violence inside thinks husband heart broken like bones walls trapped walls house husband turning suggestions holidays writing instructions notes interlude instrumental section landslide husband buried land prison china cup locked decorated china cup taken home prison performance recording history performed june concert hall 50th festival accompanied conducted companion piece chamber opera country blind composed relatively quickly order programme twice turned shorter originally intended surprise decided follow original performances split queen staging main home london production premiered october conducting context companion piece opera set prison camp twice received mainland european premiere day earlier performance given germany twice received north american premiere canada given united_states italy belgium netherlands countries composer conducted work continued receive international performances example commercial recording singing conducting live performances recorded broadcast including queen original performers performance reception reviewing performance independent felt ore difficult birth strain ing find specific expression sharp angles steep provided work considered natural relatively quickly written companion piece critic instrumental writing came far successfully vocal praising use colour finding draining final climax particularly effective contrast found dramatic musically inventive works performed night new_york_times heard new_york noted influence strings percussion rock music appreciated musical language makes easier ears felt degree composer described theatrical good bad senses word reviewing recording times praised writing described twice heart awful clarity best recent output suggested listeners feel uncomfortable mix delivery documentary realism intended effect critics daily_telegraph later list disc best classical recordings chicago_tribune noted solo criticised verse reported held sensitive lyrical vocal writing translucent scoring woman suppressed anger fear rise surface music poignant gritty considering chicago performance freelance music critic taken use instrumental colour rhythmic twice heart sic misses works somewhat air melancholy text pedestrian moments repetition critics hostile poetry reviewing concert refers arresting text positive negative music critics assessed original work considering original television version twice literary critic praised contrasted voices use repetition adaptation medium listeners words attending conventional poetry reading saw portrayal avoided conventional masculine representation ruthless murderer overly simplistic feminist passive victim
Twice Through the Heart