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JPJ Commissioned by London International Festival of Early Music

The London International Festival of Early Music (LIFEM) has just announced the world premiere performance of ‘The Tudor Pull’, a newly commissioned work by John, written for acclaimed viol consort Fretwork.

The world premiere of the newly composed piece will be broadcast at 7.00pm on Thursday 5th November from the LIFEM website, www.lifem.org

This isn’t the first time that John’s music has been performed at LIFEM, his hauntingly beautiful Amores Pasados, settings of three Spanish poems were performed by tenor John Potter at the 2018 festival, but this new work breaks new ground for an annual event that is a unique celebration of past musical genius and contemporary talent. Commenting on his new work Jones said:

‘I’ve been an admirer of Fretwork for some time, and was thrilled at the commission to write a piece for them to premiere at the London International Festival of Early Music.


The Tudor Pull is inspired by a colourful pageant that takes place on the River Thames in full Tudor costume. Every year a flotilla of small traditional rowing boats follow the Queen’s Rowbarge, Gloriana, from Hampton Court to the Tower of London, and there to take part in a ceremony to present an ancient artefact, the ‘Stela’, to the Governor of the Tower.

I wanted to invoke the excitement of the event, as well as have a sense of the ever-changing moods and pace of the river.’