Quaker composer premieres new choral work exploring shadow of torture
Leading composer Sally Beamish's new work, 'A Knock on the Door', uses two choirs representing detainees and interrogators, to explore how torture damages all involved.
The work was commissioned by Quaker Concern for the Abolition of Torture (Q-CAT), who work to address how torture wounds the souls of tortured, torturers and the society which condones it.
With the help of John McCarthy, who was held hostage in Beirut for nearly five years, and a libretto written by Peter Thomson, Beamish has composed a piece lasting about 25 minutes, with an understated, conversational style.
'A Knock on the Door' can be sung by groups with little musical background, and Q-CAT hope that Quaker meetings and other groups will take it up.
Beamish, who was featured in the Proms this year, said: "This commission was extremely challenging, and approaching the subject profoundly uncomfortable.
[QUOTE-START]
This commission was extremely challenging
- Sally Beamish
[QUOTE-END]
"An important factor was to emphasize that torture causes deep and lasting damage both to the victim and to the perpetrator, and that all humans are vulnerable to finding themselves in circumstances where they might become either victim or oppressor."
'A Knock on the Door' takes the form of a dialogue, and towards the end the two choirs reverse roles – victims becoming oppressors. The piece was premiered at a Songs of Protest concert on Remembrance Sunday, 13 November, at Birmingham Town Hall.
Juliet Morton of Q-CAT said: “Torture encompasses much more than the victims and the perpetrators due to its illegal nature – structures of the nation become warped because of the involvement of judges, doctors, guards and so on.
"As well as the impact on victims of torture we want to raise concern for the spiritual and mental welfare of the perpetrators of torture, and those in the chain of command, as they too are damaged to the core of their being by its use."
Recently Q-CAT has worked with other charities on bills passing through the UK Parliament, including the Overseas Operations Bill and the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill, which seeks to create a dual system of law, allowing some to commit crimes - including torture and murder - with impunity.
Copies of 'A Knock on the Door' will be available from Edition Peters later this year.
The film will be available here from Monday, 28 March, until Sunday, 16 April, 2023