Schott Tippett - A Child Of Our Time - Choeur Mixte (Satb/Satb) Soloists (Satb) Et Orchestre

Summary of This Score

A Child of Our Timeis the oratorio in which Michael Tippett transforms a historical tragedy into a musical reflection on violence, injustice, and compassion. Conceived in response to the events leading to the November 1938 pogrom night, the work places the death of an individual at the center of a vast backdrop of human suffering, giving the narrative both an intimate and universal dimension.

To build this fresco, Tippett draws on major historical references: Bach's Passions and Handel's Messiah. Thus, the idea of a moral and spiritual narrative emerges, where individual destiny illuminates broader questions, while fitting into a demanding musical architecture. This assumed lineage provides a solid framework for performers and readers alike, linking 20th-century language to models deeply rooted in tradition.

One of the most striking choices remains the integration of spirituals, presented as a contemporary equivalent of the Lutheran chorale from Bach's Passions. Tippett highlights their unique "verbal and musical metaphor," capable of directly engaging the audience: these passages, seemingly simple yet of formidable expressive intensity, act as moments of commentary and emotional participation at the heart of the drama.

With an intermediate level, this score is intended for musicians wishing to deepen their knowledge of 20th-century oratorio repertoire, work on the text-music relationship, and explore a writing style where tradition serves a profoundly contemporary message. Ideal for study, preparation of a performance, or enriching a library of choral and vocal scores, it highlights Tippett's narrative strength and humanistic scope.

Technical specifications

Musical Genre

Classical

Publication

Sheet music

Composer	Michael Tippett	Difficulty	intermediate
Genre	classical score (oratorio)	Pages	116
Language	English	Year of Publication	1939 - 1941