Composer

:

Gustav Holst

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1916

Average_duration

:

17:08

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Gustav Holst's 'Choral Folk Songs (6), Op.36b, H. 136' is a collection of six choral arrangements of traditional English folk songs. The work was composed in 1906 and premiered in the same year at the Royal College of Music in London. The six movements of the work are: 1. "I Love My Love" - This movement is a lively and energetic arrangement of a traditional Cornish folk song. The choral parts are accompanied by a piano, and the melody is passed between the different sections of the choir. 2. "Swansea Town" - This movement is a slower and more melancholic arrangement of a Welsh folk song. The choral parts are accompanied by a harp, and the harmonies are rich and complex. 3. "The Song of the Blacksmith" - This movement is a rhythmic and percussive arrangement of an English folk song. The choral parts are accompanied by a piano, and the lyrics describe the sounds of a blacksmith's forge. 4. "The Willow Tree" - This movement is a gentle and lyrical arrangement of an English folk song. The choral parts are accompanied by a harp, and the harmonies are simple and delicate. 5. "O Waly, Waly" - This movement is a haunting and emotional arrangement of a Scottish folk song. The choral parts are accompanied by a piano, and the melody is passed between the different sections of the choir. 6. "The Helston Furry Dance" - This movement is a lively and celebratory arrangement of a Cornish folk song. The choral parts are accompanied by a piano, and the rhythm is infectious and dance-like. Overall, 'Choral Folk Songs (6), Op.36b, H. 136' is a charming and accessible work that showcases Holst's skill as a choral arranger. The arrangements are varied and engaging, and the use of traditional folk melodies gives the work a timeless quality.

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