Composer

:

Hubert Parry

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

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Vocal Music

Hubert Parry's 'English Lyrics (6), Set 2' is a collection of six songs for voice and piano, composed in 1895. The set was premiered on 22nd January 1896 at a concert in London, where Parry himself accompanied the singer, Muriel Foster. The six songs in the set are 'The Sound of Hidden Music', 'The Lark Ascending', 'Love is a Sickness', 'The Maiden', 'The Nightingale' and 'My Heart is like a Singing Bird'. The first song, 'The Sound of Hidden Music', is a setting of a poem by Robert Bridges. The song is characterized by its flowing melody and gentle harmonies, which evoke the sense of hidden music that the poem describes. The second song, 'The Lark Ascending', is perhaps the most famous of the set. It is a setting of a poem by George Meredith, and is characterized by its soaring melody and evocative piano accompaniment, which captures the sense of a lark ascending into the sky. The third song, 'Love is a Sickness', is a setting of a poem by Samuel Daniel. The song is characterized by its melancholy melody and chromatic harmonies, which convey the sense of sickness and pain that the poem describes. The fourth song, 'The Maiden', is a setting of a poem by John Keats. The song is characterized by its delicate melody and simple piano accompaniment, which capture the innocence and beauty of the maiden described in the poem. The fifth song, 'The Nightingale', is a setting of a poem by Robert Bridges. The song is characterized by its flowing melody and rich harmonies, which evoke the sense of the nightingale's song that the poem describes. The final song, 'My Heart is like a Singing Bird', is a setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti. The song is characterized by its joyful melody and lively piano accompaniment, which capture the sense of happiness and freedom that the poem describes. Overall, 'English Lyrics (6), Set 2' is a collection of songs that showcase Parry's skill as a composer of vocal music. The songs are characterized by their beautiful melodies, rich harmonies, and evocative piano accompaniments, which bring to life the poems that they set. The set remains a popular choice for singers and pianists today, and is a testament to Parry's enduring legacy as one of England's greatest composers.

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