Carmina Burana - Artist Lucy Bowling

The poems of Carmina Burana describe a wide range of experiences. From the celebration of winter turning into spring, to the pathetic ramblings of men overcome with desire of the flesh, to a swan singing as it is cooked on a spit and served on a plate. I didn’t want to be vague so I went through the translations from old German and Latin to English. The first and last song “O Fortuna” or “Oh Fortune” is the theme that connects the whole of Carmina Burana; the idea of fortune personified, or a Goddess Fortuna who spins the wheel of fortune to decide your fate. The rest of the stories are a result of what the wheel has decided for them.

I thought Fortuna, the Goddess of fortune, should be the most noticeable part of the painting, so naturally she had to be in the centre, with the wheel of fortune as a crown on her head. I also

wanted to add some almost hidden details so I put some people inside the wheel of fortune: some lovers, a mother with two children, a lone child and a few others. I also wanted the swan to be a big part of the painting. In the music this swan sings out miserably about its previously beautiful life swimming in lakes. Now reduced to becoming a meal, it sings as it is cooked on a spit and then served. I didn’t want to paint a pretty swan. I wanted to show the ugliness of its story. So I painted it dismembered and bloody, with a pile of bloody feathers beneath it and its unattached wings still trying to fly away. I had fun coming up with the positions of all the surrounding people. 

Carmina Burana is very hectic at times, so I tried to show that. There is drunk and disorderly behaviour on the bottom right of the canvas, a woman throttling a man with her skirt above that and there are more than a few people in physical altercations, as well as lovers in their own world.

I was surprised to find out the content of Carmina Burana in contrast to its origin. As I previously said it covers a wide range of human experiences. To me the most memorable line from the English translation has to be, “I give myself to vice, unmindful of virtue, I am eager for the pleasures of the flesh more than for salvation, my soul is dead so I shall look after the flesh”. There is a lot of beauty in the poems but accompanied with gore and vulgarity. It makes the writings seem honest or maybe even private, true to the complexities of being human.

Lucy Bowling was commissioned by TGCMS to draw up a poster for our Dan Forrest concert held in June 2024. 

Lucy explained 'breath of life' is about the connection between breath and being human. She wanted to represent different stages of the human life cycle - pregnancy, birth, childhood, relationships, as well as the joy & exuberance of being alive. She also wanted to show life as being a journey towards bright & joyful as depicted by the music of Jubilate Deo.

Emma Reyes was commissioned by TGCMS to draw up a poster for our Carols by Candlelight concerts held in December 2024. 

This painting was meant to capture a serene and ethereal moment, framed by a pointed arch that echoes the shape of a cathedral window. At the heart of the painting is a luminous white Christmas angel, which is illuminated by an array of candles on the foreground. Just like the name Candlelight, I was informed that the entire venue was going to be lit by candles, which is why the entire painting’s only light source are the candles. Their magical warm glow creates a peaceful, sacred atmosphere, all of which evoke the holiday season and as the concert was going to take place around Christmas time, it was important to emphasise the Christmas theme throughout the painting. Due to this, I opted to add vibrant red and green poinsettias which automatically gave the entire painting a much more Christmassy feel. The interplay of the warm light, the angel’s presence, along with the festive florals, added to the columns created a tranquil yet joyful celebration of the season.