The works of twenty composers from the golden age of English romantic
song, major figures - Parry, Stanford, Vaughan Williams, Quilter,
Ireland, Gurney, Warlock and Finzi - studied alongside the lesser-known.
Constantly illuminating. JOHN STEANE, GRAMOPHONE
The composers in this book represent the outstanding songwriters from
what we can now see as the golden age of English romantic song. As well
as the major figures - Parry, Stanford, Vaughan Williams, Quilter,
Ireland, Gurney, Warlock and Finzi - there are chapters on lesser-known
composers, such as Denis Browne and Charles Orr.
Detailed consideration is given to three songwriters who have
sufferedunaccountable neglect, Arthur Somervell, Armstrong Gibbs and
Herbert Howells, and there are chapters on Elgar, Delius and Holst,
whose reputations were made in other fields but whose contribution to
English song is nevertheless important. Also taking their rightful
places in the book are Frank Bridge, Arnold Bax, George Butterworth and
E.J. Moeran.
Each chapter begins with a discussion of its composer's song-output and
of the poets and poetry he sets, and goes on to give an account of the
influences on him and the hallmarks of his style; the songs are then
discussed in detail, focusing on the major works. The text is
illustrated with musical examples and there is a comprehensive
bibliography and index.
TREVOR HOLD was a composer and poet who wrote extensively on English
song. His setting of Laurie Lee's 'Day of these Days' won the English
Poetry and Song Society/English Music Society 2002 GoldenJubilee Song
Competition. He died in January 2004.
