Composer

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Arthur Somervell

Genre

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Keyboard

Style

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Keyboard

Average_duration

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2:01

Arthur Somervell's "The street sounds to the soldiers' tread" is a song cycle composed in 1916, during the First World War. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which sets a poem by a different poet. The poems are all related to the war and its impact on soldiers and civilians alike. The first movement, "The street sounds to the soldiers' tread," sets a poem by Wilfred Wilson Gibson. The poem describes the sounds of the city as soldiers march through it, and the contrast between the noise of war and the everyday sounds of civilian life. Somervell's setting captures this contrast, with the soldiers' march rhythmically punctuated by the sounds of the city. The second movement, "The lads in their hundreds," sets a poem by A.E. Housman. This poem is a lament for the young men who have died in the war, and Somervell's setting is appropriately mournful, with a slow, melancholy melody. The third movement, "Is my team ploughing," sets a poem by Housman as well. This poem is a dialogue between a dead soldier and his friend who is still alive. Somervell's setting captures the intimacy and sadness of the conversation, with a simple, plaintive melody. The fourth movement, "The soldier," sets a poem by Rupert Brooke. This poem is a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of soldiers, and Somervell's setting is appropriately heroic, with a stirring melody and bold harmonies. The fifth movement, "Into my heart an air that kills," sets a poem by A.E. Housman. This poem is a meditation on the pain of lost love, and Somervell's setting captures the melancholy and longing of the text, with a haunting melody and delicate harmonies. The final movement, "The treasure," sets a poem by Edward Thomas. This poem is a reflection on the beauty of nature and the transience of life, and Somervell's setting is appropriately contemplative, with a gentle melody and delicate harmonies. Overall, "The street sounds to the soldiers' tread" is a powerful and moving song cycle that captures the emotional impact of the First World War on soldiers and civilians alike. Somervell's settings are sensitive and evocative, and the cycle as a whole is a testament to the enduring power of poetry and music to express the deepest human emotions.

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