Project Summary:
Wessex Songs is a recital celebrating Thomas Hardy’s poetry in Art Song over the last 100 years as well as the tradition of guitar accompanying voice that has been a cornerstone of the English tradition since the renaissance.
Alongside a large set of new arrangements (for guitar) of songs by canonic composers (and some unearthed gems) are new commissions. The largest of which is 'Elegies or Emma', a cycle setting Hardy’s Poems of 1912-13 which capture Hardy’s fascinating and complex reaction to the death of his first wife, Emma Gifford.
The videos below are from rehearsals and feature extracts of Robin Milford's If It's Ever Spring Again, Imogen Holst's Weathers and Finzi's It Never Looks Like Summer... hopefully it whets the appetite! Below this is a song from the new cycle Elegies for Emma and At the bottom of the page there is a full list of repertoire.
Wessex Songs is a recital celebrating Thomas Hardy’s poetry in Art Song over the last 100 years as well as the tradition of guitar accompanying voice that has been a cornerstone of the English tradition since the renaissance.
Alongside a large set of new arrangements (for guitar) of songs by canonic composers (and some unearthed gems) are new commissions. The largest of which is 'Elegies or Emma', a cycle setting Hardy’s Poems of 1912-13 which capture Hardy’s fascinating and complex reaction to the death of his first wife, Emma Gifford.
The videos below are from rehearsals and feature extracts of Robin Milford's If It's Ever Spring Again, Imogen Holst's Weathers and Finzi's It Never Looks Like Summer... hopefully it whets the appetite! Below this is a song from the new cycle Elegies for Emma and At the bottom of the page there is a full list of repertoire.
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There is a new sister piece to this song cycle for string quartet and mezzo-soprano called 'Elegies for Tom' which will be combined with the 'Wessex Songs' repertoire for a commercial album and tour of performances. See here for more details.
Fundraising is ongoing but so far the project has been made possible by generous contributions from these institutions:
Fundraising is ongoing but so far the project has been made possible by generous contributions from these institutions:
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People:
Arthur Keegan (composer, arranger, producer)
Kerry Andrew (composer)
Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano)
James Girling (guitar)
Programme - 'Wessex Songs'
New commissions and arrangements for guitar and voice of songs featuring Thomas Hardy's poetry
Arthur Keegan - Poems of 1912-13 - Elegies for Emma (2023)*
Kerry Andrew - The Echo Elf Answers (2022)*
Betty Roe - Beeny Cliff (2001)**
David Gow - songs from A Distant Door (1987)
Nicholas Maw - songs from 6 Interiors (1966)
Gerald Finzi - It Never Looks Like Summer (1956)**
Benjamin Britten - At the Railway Station Upway (1953)**
Gerald Finzi – The Too Short Time (1949)**
Ethel Richardson (Henry Handel) - Regret Not Me (1945)**
Robin Milford - If it's Ever Spring Again (1938)**
Gerald Finzi – Shortening Days (1928)**
Imogen Holst - Weathers (1926)**
Ivor Gurney - In the Black Winter Morning (1924)**
Arnold Bax - The Market Girl (1922)**
* New music commissioned for this project
** New arrangement made for this project
Arthur Keegan (composer, arranger, producer)
Kerry Andrew (composer)
Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano)
James Girling (guitar)
Programme - 'Wessex Songs'
New commissions and arrangements for guitar and voice of songs featuring Thomas Hardy's poetry
Arthur Keegan - Poems of 1912-13 - Elegies for Emma (2023)*
Kerry Andrew - The Echo Elf Answers (2022)*
Betty Roe - Beeny Cliff (2001)**
David Gow - songs from A Distant Door (1987)
Nicholas Maw - songs from 6 Interiors (1966)
Gerald Finzi - It Never Looks Like Summer (1956)**
Benjamin Britten - At the Railway Station Upway (1953)**
Gerald Finzi – The Too Short Time (1949)**
Ethel Richardson (Henry Handel) - Regret Not Me (1945)**
Robin Milford - If it's Ever Spring Again (1938)**
Gerald Finzi – Shortening Days (1928)**
Imogen Holst - Weathers (1926)**
Ivor Gurney - In the Black Winter Morning (1924)**
Arnold Bax - The Market Girl (1922)**
* New music commissioned for this project
** New arrangement made for this project