Published:
“Refugee” is a setting of Gwen Harwood’s poem, originally published under her heteronym Francis Geyer—a fictional Hungarian refugee whose voice allowed her to explore deep lyricism and sentimentality. Through this persona, Harwood captured the sorrow, resilience, and displacement of the refugee experience with striking empathy. The music reflects this emotional journey, opening with a fragile humming motif that creates a sense of both comfort and uncertainty before the solo voice delivers the text with clarity and directness. Harmonic shifts and rhythmic unison passages heighten the intensity, mirroring the poem’s movement between fear, longing, and fleeting moments of hope. The work’s raw yet accessible vocal writing ensures its emotional depth resonates with singers and audiences alike, making it a powerful contribution to contemporary vocal chamber music.
