Michael Finnissy
Encyclopedia
Michael Finnissy is an English composer
and pianist
. His music is characterised by the range of extremes often found in his work; opposing binary
structures are found commonly, often seen as juxtaposing textures, register and tempi
. Many of Finnissy's compositions are statements, or reflections, on topics of personal significance, and can be observed in English Country-tunes, and The History of Photography in Sound.
. He was a foundation scholar at the Royal College of Music
from 1965–68, where he studied composition with Bernard Stevens
and the Webern disciple Humphrey Searle
, and piano with Edwin Benbow.
Finnissy has taught many of the new generation of British composers. He has taught at the Royal Academy of Music
, the University of Sussex
, and is currently Professor
of composition at the University of Southampton
.
He served as president of the International Society for Contemporary Music
from 1990 until 1996.
school, though he does not like the term. His transcriptions re-imagine or refer to the works of many composers, including Verdi
, Grieg
, Alkan
and Gershwin
. Other significant influences on his music are the folk music
of many countries, the spontaneous style of Charles Ives
, as well as many influences from outside music, such as the visual arts and in particular photography. Some of his works (e.g., the cycle 'Unknown Ground') also express his social and political concerns.
Finnissy also became known for the political side of music, and he believes that all music is 'programmatic' to some degree, that is, a composition exists in not just the composer's mind, but inside a culture that reflects both the extra-musical and purely musical concerns of the composer. Music, far from being unable to express anything other than itself (as Stravinsky said) is a force for change. This engagement with political and social themes became more frequent as his career progressed. For example, the influence of homosexual themes and concerns began to enter his work; as in Shameful Vice in 1994, and more explicitly in Seventeen Immortal Homosexual Poets in 1997.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. His music is characterised by the range of extremes often found in his work; opposing binary
Binary
- Mathematics :* Binary numeral system, a representation for numbers using only two digits * Binary function, a function in mathematics that takes two arguments- Computing :* Binary file, composed of something other than human-readable text...
structures are found commonly, often seen as juxtaposing textures, register and tempi
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. Many of Finnissy's compositions are statements, or reflections, on topics of personal significance, and can be observed in English Country-tunes, and The History of Photography in Sound.
Biography
Finnissy was born in Tulse Hill, LondonTulse Hill
Tulse Hill is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in South London, England. It lies to the south of Brixton, east of Brixton Hill, north of West Norwood and west of West Dulwich.-History:...
. He was a foundation scholar at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
from 1965–68, where he studied composition with Bernard Stevens
Bernard Stevens
Bernard Stevens was a British composer.Born in London, Stevens studied English and Music at the University of Cambridge with E. J. Dent, then at the Royal College of Music with R.O. Morris and Gordon Jacob from 1937 to 1940...
and the Webern disciple Humphrey Searle
Humphrey Searle
Humphrey Searle was a British composer.-Biography:He was born in Oxford where he was a classics scholar before studying — somewhat hesitantly — with John Ireland at the Royal College of Music in London, after which he went to Vienna on a six month scholarship to become a private pupil of Anton...
, and piano with Edwin Benbow.
Finnissy has taught many of the new generation of British composers. He has taught at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
, and is currently Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of composition at the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
.
He served as president of the International Society for Contemporary Music
International Society for Contemporary Music
The International Society for Contemporary Music is a music organization that promotes contemporary classical music.ISCM was established in 1922, in Salzburg. Its core activity is the World Music Days Festival, held every year at a different location. The festival includes cutting edge productions...
from 1990 until 1996.
Style
Finnissy's own abilities as a pianist underlie many of his compositions. A significant number of these are piano transcriptions in his very complex style which typically involves intricate polyrhythms, virtuosic technique and interwoven linear, rather than harmonic, textures. He is often cited as a main member of the so-called New ComplexityNew Complexity
In music, the New Complexity is a term dating from the 1980s, principally applied to composers seeking a "complex, multi-layered interplay of evolutionary processes occurring simultaneously within every dimension of the musical material" ....
school, though he does not like the term. His transcriptions re-imagine or refer to the works of many composers, including Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
, Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
, Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan was a French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. His attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of six, earning many awards, and as an adult became a famous virtuoso...
and Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
. Other significant influences on his music are the folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
of many countries, the spontaneous style of Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
, as well as many influences from outside music, such as the visual arts and in particular photography. Some of his works (e.g., the cycle 'Unknown Ground') also express his social and political concerns.
Finnissy also became known for the political side of music, and he believes that all music is 'programmatic' to some degree, that is, a composition exists in not just the composer's mind, but inside a culture that reflects both the extra-musical and purely musical concerns of the composer. Music, far from being unable to express anything other than itself (as Stravinsky said) is a force for change. This engagement with political and social themes became more frequent as his career progressed. For example, the influence of homosexual themes and concerns began to enter his work; as in Shameful Vice in 1994, and more explicitly in Seventeen Immortal Homosexual Poets in 1997.
Orchestral music
- Eph-phatha (1989) 2.1.1.1-1.1.1.0-perc-hpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
-pnoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
-strString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
13' - Glad Day (1994) 2 (or recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
s).0.0.0-0.2.0.0-hp (or theorboTheorboA theorbo is a plucked string instrument. As a name, theorbo signifies a number of long-necked lutes with second pegboxes, such as the liuto attiorbato, the French théorbe des pièces, the English theorbo, the archlute, the German baroque lute, the angélique or angelica. The etymology of the name...
)-chamber organ-str (min 4.4.2.2 (or bass violinBass violinBass violin is the generic modern term used to denote various 16th- and 17th-century forms of bass instruments of the violin family. They were the direct ancestor of the modern cello. Bass violins were usually somewhat larger than the modern cello, but tuned the same or sometimes just one step...
s).0) 13' - Plain Harmony (1993) unspecified orchestral ensemble 12'
- Red Earth (1988) 3(III=piccPiccoloThe piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
).3.0.3-0.3.3.0-2didjeridus-4perc.2timpaniTimpaniTimpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
-2 hp-str (min 10.10.8.6.7) 19' - Speak its Name! (1996) 2.2.2.2-2.2.1.0-2vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
s.timp-harp-¼ toneQuarter toneA quarter tone , is a pitch halfway between the usual notes of a chromatic scale, an interval about half as wide as a semitone, which is half a whole tone....
keyboard-strings (min 8.8.6.6.3) 22'
Chamber and instrumental music
- Bright Future ignoring Dark Past (2000) violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, piano 3'30" - Ének (1990) solo violin 9'
- Greatest Hits of all time (2003) oboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
solo, picc.cl-pno-1perc-vlaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
.vlc.cb 13' - In stiller nacht (1990, rev. 1997) Independence QuadrilleQuadrilleQuadrille is a historic dance performed by four couples in a square formation, a precursor to traditional square dancing. It is also a style of music...
s (1995) violin, cello, and piano 7' & 5' - Kulamen Dilan (1990) soprano saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
[or oboe, or any clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
] and percussion 10' - Mars + Venus (1993) fl.ob.cl.bn-hn.tpt.tbn-perc-pno-2vn.va.vc.cb 15'
- Molly-House (2004) unspecified instrumental ensemble (players choose from a set of conventionally, and partially, notated parts alongside 17 'transcribed' HandelHANDELHANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
arias) variable duration - Nowhere else to go (1989, rev. 2003) fl(+picc).cl(+bcl)-pno-vn.vc-tape 30'
- Obrecht Motetten I (1989) fl.cl.bn-tpt.tbn-perc-vn.va.vc 5'
- Obrecht Motetten II (1989) mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and harp 10' - Obrecht Motetten III (1989–93) viola solo or viola with ensemble: fl.cl.bn-2tpt.tbn-mandolin.gtr-hp 5'
- Obrecht Motetten IV (1990) brass quintet 14'
- Obrecht Motetten V (1992) fl(+picc).3ssax-hn.3tpt.3tbn-pno-cb 18'
- Plain Harmony (1993) string quartet 8'
- Post-Christian Survival Kit (2005) unspecified instruments or instrumental components, unspecified percussion, physical actions which inadvertently produce a sound c. 10'
- Recent Britain (1998) clarinet, bassoonBassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
, cello, and piano 25' ISBN 0-19-356450-5 - Seterjentens fridag (2003) hardanger fiddle or violin (either solo or with accompaniment for reed organ and piano, or either one (live or pre-recorded) and instrumental quartet) 7'
- Traum des Sängers (1994) clarinet, guitar, vibraphone, violin, viola, cello, and double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
13' - Two Scenes from "Shameful Vice" (1995) solo harp 6' not yet published
- Unknown Ground (1991) for baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
and piano trioPiano trioA piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music... - Various Nations (1992) narrator and chamber ensemble: fl(+picc).cl-hn-perc-gtr-vn.vc 10'
- WAM (1991) piano and two unspecified treble instruments 15'
Keyboard music
- Collected Shorter Piano Pieces Volume 1 solo piano MazurkaMazurkaThe mazurka is a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with accent on the third or second beat.-History:The folk origins of the mazurek are two other Polish musical forms—the slow machine...
Op 142 No 2 - Two PasodoblePasodoblePasodoble is a typical dance from Spain march-like musical style as well as the corresponding dance style danced by a couple. It is the type of music typically played in bullfights during the bullfighters' entrance to the ring or during the passes just before the kill...
s - Autumnall - Freightrain Bruise - Kemp's MorrisMorris danceMorris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
- Short but... - GFH - BS - Taja - Lylyly li - Pimmel - StraussJohann Strauss IIJohann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
-WalzWaltzThe waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
er - Collected Shorter Piano Pieces Volume 2 solo piano Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man - Romeo and Juliet are Drowning - Mazurka Op 142 No 1- Vieux Noël - Svatovac - Terekkeme - Australian Sea ShantiesSea shantyA shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...
(Second Set) - William BillingsWilliam BillingsWilliam Billings was an American choral composer, and is widely regarded as the father of American choral music...
- Liz - RossiniGioacchino RossiniGioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
- John CageJohn CageJohn Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
- There never was such hard times before - Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sind - Cibavit eos - Cozy Fanny's Tootsies - My love is like a red, red, rose - De toutes flours - How Dear to Me - Stanley Stokes, East Street 1836 – Note on Stanley Stokes - Sometimes I... – French Piano - New Perspectives on Old Complexity - ...desde que naçe... – Yvaroperas 1-4 - English Country Tunes (1977/rev.1982-1985) solo piano
- Folklore (1993-4) solo piano I: 12', II: 25', III: 20', IV: 16'
- Gershwin Arrangements (1975–88) based on melodies by George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
(solo piano): How long has this been going on? - Things are looking up - "A Foggy DayA Foggy Day"A Foggy Day" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film A Damsel in Distress...
" - Love is here to stay - They can’t take that away from me - Shall we dance? - They’re writing songs of love, but not for me - Fidgety feet - Embraceable you - Waiting for the sun to come out - Innocent ingenue baby - Blah, blah, blah - Boy wanted. Score ISBN 0-19-372639-4 (for copyright reasons, this score is not available for sale or performance in the USA) - More Gershwin(1989–90) based on melodies by George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
(solo piano): Limehouse Nights - Wait a Bit, Susie - I'd Rather Charleston - Isn't It Wonderful! - Nobody But You - Swanee - Dixie Rose - Someone Believes in You - Nashville Nightingale. - The History of PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
in Sound (1995–2001)- 1. Le démon de l'analogie 25' - 2. Le réveil de l'intraitable réalité 15' - 3. North American SpiritualSpiritualitySpirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
s 20' - 4. My parents' generation thought War meant something 40' - 5. AlkanCharles-Valentin AlkanCharles-Valentin Alkan was a French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. His attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of six, earning many awards, and as an adult became a famous virtuoso...
- PaganiniNiccolò PaganiniNiccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique...
12' - 6. Seventeen Immortal Homosexual Poets 40' - 7. Eadweard MuybridgeEadweard MuybridgeEadweard J. Muybridge was an English photographer who spent much of his life in the United States. He is known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion which used multiple cameras to capture motion, and his zoopraxiscope, a device for projecting motion pictures that pre-dated the flexible...
- Edvard MunchEdvard MunchEdvard Munch was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionist art. His best-known composition, The Scream, is part of a series The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of love, fear, death, melancholia, and anxiety.- Childhood :Edvard Munch...
25' - 8. Kapitalistisch Realisme (met Sizilianische Männerakte en Bachsche Nachdichtungen) 75' - 9. Wachtend op de volgende uitbarsting van repressie en censuur 12' - 10. Unsere Afrikareise 30' - 11. Etched bright with sunlight 25' - piano solo c. 320' (one of the longest non-repetitive piano pieceLongest non-repetitive piano pieceThis page attempts to list the longest non-repetitive piano pieces along with approximate duration and the number of pages they cover.-Works that have been performed and/or recorded:* Jacob Mashak – Beatus Vir...
s ever written)
- 1. Le démon de l'analogie 25' - 2. Le réveil de l'intraitable réalité 15' - 3. North American Spiritual
- Is there any future for new music (2006)
- Tangos (1962–99) a collection of 23 short pieces solo piano 25 minutes
- Wee Saw Footprints (1990) nine short easy teaching pieces with a supplement solo piano 15'
- Four Organ Symphonies (2002–2009)
Stage works
- Shameful Vice (1994) 3 sopranos, tenor, baritone, bass 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, harp, guitar, 2 violins, and double bass text by the composer, based on the last days of TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
's life 40' - Thérèse RaquinThérèse RaquinThérèse Raquin is the title of a novel and a play by the French writer Émile Zola. The novel was originally published in serial format in the journal L'Artiste and in book format in December of the same year.-Plot introduction:Thérèse Raquin tells the story of a young woman, unhappily married to...
(1992-3) soprano, mezzo-soprano, counter-tenor, baritone, and piano stage work based on the novel and play by Emile ZolaÉmile ZolaÉmile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...
90' - The Undivine Comedy (1986-8) soprano, counter-tenor, tenor, 2 baritones 2 piccolos, 2 oboes, 2 percussion, violin, viola, and cello stage work based on the play by Zygmunt KrasińskiZygmunt KrasinskiCount Napoleon Stanisław Adam Ludwig Zygmunt Krasiński , a Polish count, is traditionally ranked with Mickiewicz and Słowacki as one of Poland's Three National Bards — the trio of great Romantic poets who influenced national consciousness during the period of Poland's political bondage.-Life and...
110' - Mankind (2007–08) - written for St. Peter's School, Solihull. Baritone and Alto soloists, male actor, three boys voices, SA semi-chorus, SATB choir, large unison chorus (150+) + string trio, piano, organ and ripieno children's orchestra. Dedicated to Leah and Stephen Lansberry and first performed in Olton Friary September 2008 - conducted by Stephen Lansberry. Based on the 15th Century morality play of the same nameMankind (play)Mankind is an English medieval morality play, written c.1470. The play is a moral allegory about Mankind, a representative of the human race, and follows his fall into sin and his repentance...