Composer

:

Ivor Gurney

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

13:13

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

"The Elizas, Elizabethan Songs (5)" is a song cycle composed by Ivor Gurney, a British composer and poet, in 1919. The cycle consists of five songs, each set to a different Elizabethan poem. The premiere of the cycle was given by the tenor John Goss and the pianist Gerald Moore in London in 1920. The first song in the cycle is "Orpheus with his Lute," a setting of a poem by William Shakespeare. The song is characterized by its gentle, flowing melody and delicate piano accompaniment, which evoke the peaceful, pastoral setting of the poem. The second song, "Sleep," is a setting of a poem by John Fletcher. The song is marked by its haunting, ethereal quality, with the piano providing a shimmering, dreamlike accompaniment to the tenor's soaring vocal line. The third song, "Come Away, Death," is a setting of a poem by Shakespeare. The song is characterized by its melancholy, introspective mood, with the tenor's voice conveying a sense of deep sadness and longing. The piano accompaniment is spare and understated, adding to the song's sense of introspection. The fourth song, "Weep You No More, Sad Fountains," is a setting of a poem by Anonymous. The song is marked by its flowing, lyrical melody and gentle, rippling piano accompaniment, which evoke the gentle, flowing waters of the poem. The final song in the cycle is "It Was a Lover and His Lass," a setting of a poem by Shakespeare. The song is characterized by its lively, playful mood, with the tenor's voice dancing over the piano's jaunty accompaniment. The song ends the cycle on a joyful, celebratory note. Overall, "The Elizas, Elizabethan Songs (5)" is a beautiful and evocative song cycle that showcases Gurney's skill as a composer and his deep appreciation for the poetry of the Elizabethan era. The cycle's varied moods and styles make it a compelling and engaging work that continues to be performed and enjoyed by audiences today.

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