Godric's Castle
Marshall, Ann
11 SoSSAATTBBGbCb. This five-minute tone poem by Ann Marshall is of no more than moderate difficulty. It suggested itself to her when visiting Goodrich (or, a thousand years ago 'Godric's') Castle, in the Wye Valley. The (Royalist) castle was besieged during the English Civil War and Alice Birch, niece of one of the besieging forces fled to the castle to be with her sweetheart. The story goes that when it was clear that the castle would fall, the two tried to flee across the River Wye on horseback, but were swept to their deaths. The story further goes that their ghosts can sometimes be seen in the castle, looking out across the valley, and that they can even sometimes be seen urging a ghostly horse into the Wye. It's a great tale, and while the piece is not supposed to represent the details of the story, hopefully it conjures up a suitable atmosphere.
11 SoSSAATTBBGbCb. This five-minute tone poem by Ann Marshall is of no more than moderate difficulty. It suggested itself to her when visiting Goodrich (or, a thousand years ago 'Godric's') Castle, in the Wye Valley. The (Royalist) castle was besieged during the English Civil War and Alice Birch, niece of one of the besieging forces fled to the castle to be with her sweetheart. The story goes that when it was clear that the castle would fall, the two tried to flee across the River Wye on horseback, but were swept to their deaths. The story further goes that their ghosts can sometimes be seen in the castle, looking out across the valley, and that they can even sometimes be seen urging a ghostly horse into the Wye. It's a great tale, and while the piece is not supposed to represent the details of the story, hopefully it conjures up a suitable atmosphere.