Intimations of Immortality

This week on GBW and ACDA Radio/ChoralNet host Stan Schmidt brings to the forefront the music of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) with a Shakespeare song from his collection called Let Garlands Bring written for the birthday of Ralph Vaughan Williams on his birthday, October 12, 1942.  Then you will enjoy three selections from his Op 17 that include Haste on My Joys, Clear and Gentle Stream and My spirit Sang All Day.   Finzi’s music is rooted in the tradition of Sir Edward Elgar and his life long friend Vaughan Williams……………John Bawden mentions in his note tied to Intimations of Immortality by Gerald Finzi, that the composer went through a series of tragedies that profoundly affected his early years.  His father died just before his 8^th BD and by the time he was 18 his had lost his three elder brothers and his much loved teacher, Ernest Farar who were killed in action.   Finzi’s music springs from his love of literature and the English countryside, the same sources that inspired Elgar and Vaughan Williams.   His most substantial work, Intimations of Immortality was begun in the 1930’s but was first performed at the Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester, in September 1950.  There are 13 movements, the first being an instrumental overture.  To give you a sense of the songs serious approach here are a few of the titles:  1. There was a time when Meadow, Grove and Stream; 2.   The Rainbow comes and goes3, Our Birth is but a sleep and a forgetting………. The work is scored for full orchestra, tenor solo and chorus.  The text is taken from Wordsworth’s Ode subtitled from recollections of early childhood and is the lament for lost joys and the intuitive wonder of  childhood.   I hope you will take the time to listen.

For a look at the CD’s used and a complete list of the music heard, go to the blog of WWW.GONGBEYONDWORDS.COM website and click on show 2447