Like Carson Cooman's Plymouth Soundings (GM286), Clive Jenkins' Four Mayflower Portraits were composed especially for performances as part of Mayflower 400 celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic.
The American organist-composer Carson Cooman found old organ music by Clive Jenkins in a second hand shop on a visit to London, liked it and later had it republished in the USA. Carson is organist-composer at the Memorial Church at Harvard University just up the coast from Plymouth Massachusetts. Plymouth Devon is Clive's birthplace and the final starting point for the Pilgrim Fathers' epic voyage, so it seemed fitting for Clive to suggest joint premieres in 2020 - and publication of Carson's work in the UK.
The people in the Four Mayflower Portraits
1. Myles Standish was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims as military adviser for Plymouth Colony. He accompanied them on the Mayflower journey and played a leading role in the administration and defence of Plymouth Colony from its inception.
2. Peregrine White was born after the Mayflower had anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor, Cape Cod. He was the second baby born on the Mayflower's historic voyage and the first known English child born to the Pilgrims in America. His cradle can be seen in the Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
3. Priscilla Mullins was the object of two men's affections. Myles Standish wanted to marry her but, shy and awkward in romantic matters, he asked his friend John Alden to propose on his behalf. But her response to the proposal was "Why don?t you speak for yourself, John?" As Mrs Alden she bore eleven children.
4. John Howland came on the Mayflower as manservant to John Carver who later became governor of Plymouth Colony. During the voyage, Howland fell overboard in a storm, and was almost lost at sea but he managed to grab hold of the topsail halyards and was pulled back on board with a boat-hook. His many descendants include Mrs Theodore Roosevelt and Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush.
Promoted and supported by Plymouth Culture, Plymouth Music Accord and Plymouth & District Organists? Association as part of Mayflower 400 with funding from the Mayflower 400 Cultural Fund, two West Country organists, Richard Line and Dr Sean Sweeney perform the pieces in recitals around the UK and Carson Cooman performs them in Boston assachusetts.
Duration 11½ minutes
