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Blake Set to Music: Supplement 2001
This supplement—to my Blake Set to Music: A Bibliography of Musical Settings of the Poems and Prose of William Blake (Berkeley: U of California P, 1990)—is an attempt to locate and describe the Blake-inspired music that has come to light in the past ten years. The proliferation of online catalogs in the music information centers of many countries has encouraged composers to publicize their work by contributing information about it. For this reason we have citations for many earlier works, sometimes dating back several decades, as well as for works created within the last ten years since Blake Set to Music was published. Not everything is covered in this way; as one of the directors commented, “we are dependent upon what the composers submit to us,” but the search for new material has been very rewarding. Blake continues to inspire composers. More than 300 entries make up this report, ranging from the mammoth creations of Julia Usher and Kristian Hornsleth to the individual settings of any number of others. In this past decade earlier manuscript editions have been printed, or works like Morfydd Owen’s centenary editions have been reissued, and these have been duly noted. All the familiar Blake texts still attract; The Marriage of Heaven and Hell was notably popular with at least seven composers in this last decade.
I am grateful for the opportunity to call attention to a number of Blake settings overlooked by my book but included in Gooch and Thatcher’s Musical Settings of British Romantic Literature. For most of these I have been able to provide additional details, both descriptive and biographical, and, in consulting with the composers and their publishers, have turned up further Blake settings. There remain a very few composers from this source, marked with an asterisk, that I have not been able to verify in any way.
I want to acknowledge here the friendliness and repeated help of staff in the national music information centers, especially Anthea Parker (Australia), Jonathan Grimes (Canada), Marianne Horn (Denmark), Anni Heino (Finland), Els van Swol (Netherlands), Scilla Askew and Philip Collins (NZ), Alasdair Pettinger (Scotland), Peter Bitterli (Switzerland), Imogen Mitchell (UK), and Lyn Liston (AMC:USA). Publishers’ representatives like David Wordsworth (Schott Music), Hannah Clark (Boosey & Hawkes), David McCleery (Chester Music), and Julian Knight (Oxford) were always helpful, and certainly many composers willingly responded to my importuning letters with encouragement and information. To all these I am most grateful. Finally, Eunice Schroeder, music librarian at UC Santa Barbara, was particularly helpful with the albums of several rock artists whose music has taken Blake interpretation off in new directions.
The last item in each entry is the initial source (S: —) of information; in most cases other details have been added from other and unnamed sources. As much as possible I have attempted to give enough information to make the list useful to both musicians and Blake scholars.
| AMC | American Music Center (NY) |
| ASCAP | American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Directory (various eds.) |
| AusMC | Australian Music Centre (Sydney) |
| Baker | Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, ed. Nicolas[e] Slonimsky, 8th ed. (Schirmer, 1991) |
| Baker 20 | Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians, ed. Laura Kuhn (Schirmer, 1997) |
| B&H | Boosey & Hawkes, music publishers |
| BCM | British Catalogue of Music |
| BDNZC | Biographical Dictionary of New Zealand Composers (Victoria UP, 1990) |
| BMIC | British Music Information Centre (London) |
| Broadstock | Brenton Broadstock, Sound Ideas: Australian Composers born since 1950 (AusMC, 1995) |
| Brown | J.D. Brown and S.S. Stratton, British Musical Biography (1897) |
| BSM | Blake Set to Music (U of California P, 1990) |
| Carman | Judith Carman, Art-Song in the U.S., 1801-1987 (NATS, 1987) |
| CMC | Canadian Music Centre (Toronto) |
| CPM | British Library, Catalogue of Printed Music (Saur, 1981-1987) |
| DeVenney | David DeVenney, American Choral Music since 1926 (Fallen Leaf Press, 1993) |
| DMIC | Danish Music Information Center (Copenhagen) |
| Donemus | Dutch Music Information Center (Amsterdam) |
| FMIC | Finnish Music Information Center (Helsinki) |
| GEB | G.E. Bentley, Jr. (Blake scholar) |
| G&T | B.N.S. Gooch and D.S. Thatcher, Musical Settings of British Romantic Literature (New York: Garland, 1982) |
| Grove | Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed. (St. Martin’s Press, 1960) |
| IEWC | International Encyclopedia of Women Composers, ed. Aaron Cohen (1987) |
| IMIC | Irish Music Information Centre (Dublin) |
| (I)WWM | (International) Who’s Who of Music (annual) |
| Larkin | Encyclopedia of Popular Music, ed. Colin Larkin, 3rd ed. (1998) |
| Maroney | J. Maroney, Music for Voice and Classical Guitar (McFarland, 1997) |
| MHH | The Marriage of Heaven and Hell |
| New Grove | New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Macmillan, 1980) |
| NGDAM | New Grove Dictionary of American Music (Macmillan, 1986) |
| NGDWC | New Grove Dictionary of Women Composers (Macmillan, 1994) |
| NYWC | New York Women Composers, Catalog of Concert Music (1994) |
| OCLC | Online Computer Library Center |
| OUP | Oxford University Press |
| Poulton | Alan Poulton, A Dictionary-Catalog of Modern British Composers (Greenwood Press, 2000) |
| RCM | Royal College of Music (London) |
| RLIN | Research Libraries Information Network |
| SI/SE | Songs of Innocence/Songs of Experience |
| SME | Swiss Music Edition (Lucerne) |
| SMIC | Scottish Music Information Centre (Glasgow) |
| SOUNZ | New Zealand Music Information Centre (Wellington) |
| ca. | circa, approximately |
| CO | Chamber Orchestra |
| comm. | commissioned |
| cond. | conductor, conducting |
| dir. | director, directing |
| dur. | duration |
| incl. | including |
| ms. | manuscript, unpublished |
| n.d. | no date stated |
| n.p. | no place stated |
| pc | personal correspondence |
| PO | Philharmonic Orchestra |
| pub. | publisher |
| S | Source |
| SATB | Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass |
ALLEN, David Len.; USA
Little Lamb; for SATB chorus and piano. Orem, UT, Jackman Music, c1987. 8 p. Dur. 3′15″. S: AMC.
ALWYN, William, 1905-1985.; UK
Songs of Innocence; twelve songs for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1930-31, 1932. Contents: 1. Piping Down the Valley. 2. The Blossom. 3. The Little Lamb. 4. Spring. 5. The Echoing Green. 6. Nurse’s Song. 7. The Divine Image (voice and string quartet). 8. The Little Black Boy (1932). 9. Infant Joy. 10. Laughing Song. 11. The Little Boy Lost. 12. The Little Boy Found. See also BSM 8-9. S: Poulton.
(ALWYN)
Tyger, Tyger; film for BBC-TV, released 1969. Written and directed by Christopher Burstall; musical score by William Alwyn. S: G&T.
ANDERSON, Jean Mary, 1939-; CANADA
Two Songs; for alto and organ. Ms., composed 1997. 13 and 9 p. Dur. 7′. Contents: 1. Peace (Vaughan). 2. Reeds of Innocence (Blake). Available from CMC. See also BSM 10. Biog: NGDWC. S: CMC.
ANDERSON, Matthew S., 1965-; USA
Love and Harmony Combine; song for alto voice and piano. Ms., composed 19—. S: AMC.
ANONYMOUS.
Can I See Another’s Woe; hymn with four-part harmony. Melody based on Veni, creator gentium (Erfurt, 1524); harmonized by Seth Calvisius (1556-1615). In: Singing the Living Tradition (Boston, Beacon Press, for The Unitarian Universalist Assn., c1993) no. 127. S: copy.
ANONYMOUS.; NORWAY
To See the World (in a grain of sand); hymn with four-part harmony, arr. Edvard Grieg. In: Singing the Living Tradition (Boston, Beacon Press, for the Unitarian Universalist Assn., c1993) no. 398. Melody ca. 1600. S: copy.
ARKWRIGHT, Marian Ursula, 1863-1922.; UK
Second Album of Songs for Children. London, Alphonse Cary, ca. 1895. Contains nine Blake titles, incl. Laughing Song and Spring. Biog: NGDWC. S: G&T.
ARNELL, Richard Anthony, 1917-; UK
Con Amore, op. 160; song cycle for soprano, mezzo, SA choir, and piano. Ms., composed 1990. 1st perf. Cantamus, p. Cook, dir. No. 3 of the set is a Blake setting: Never Seek to Tell thy Love (6 p.). Biog: IWWM. See also BSM 26. S: BMIC.
BSM 31: ARNOLD, Malcolm, Sir, 1921-; UK
Five William Blake Songs (1966). Now reprinted with piano reduction (London, Studio Music, 1990). S: BCM 1992.
(ARNOLD)
Serenade for Tenor and String Quartet, op. 134. London, Novello, 1989. Composed 1988. Dur. of set: 9′. 5 nos., incl. no. 2: Then tell me, what is the material world (Blake). 1st perf. Norwich, 11 Apr. 1989, by Robert Tear (dedicatee) with London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox cond. See also BSM 31. S: Poulton.
AYRES, Frederick, 1876-1926.; USA
To the Evening Star; song. Ms., n.d. Biog: ASCAP. S: G&T.
BARLOW, David Frederick, 1927-1975.; UK
Two Unaccompanied Songs; for solo voice. Ms., n.d. Contents: begin page 42 | ↑ back to top 1. Lotus Eaters (Tennyson). 2. Laughing Song (Blake). S: BMIC.
BARNES, Edward Shippen, 1887-1958.; USA
Christmas Nocturne. New York, H.W. Gray, 1937. “Text by Blake.” Biog: Baker. S: G&T.
BARRELL, Bernard, 1919-; UK
Five Hymn Tunes, op. 71; for SATB voices. Ely, Cambs., Oecumuse, 1984. 6 p. Composed 1973. Dedicated to Dr. Martin Shaw and Mrs. Joan Shaw. Texts by Watts, Herbert (2), Chas. Wesley, and Blake (To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love). S: BMIC; copy.
BAXTER, Garth, 1946-; USA
A Cradle Song; for soprano voice and guitar. Ms., c1988. 4 p. 1st line: Sweet dreams form a shade. 1st perf. Mar. 1993. Available from composer (Westminster, MD). Now (1999) part of a group called: Two Songs of Reflection. S: Maroney; copy.
BAYFORD, Frank, 1941-; UK
In Terra Pax, op. 47; for soprano voice, clarinet, and piano. Enfield, Middlesex, Modus Music, 1985. 18 p. Dur. 11′. Dedicated to and 1st perf. by Microcosmus, 14 Oct. 1986. In eight movements; No. 1: Prelude, sets Auguries of Innocence (four lines beginning: To see a world in a grain of sand); others set traditional children’s rhymes. S: BMIC; pc.
BECK, Jeremy, 1960-; USA
Four Songs by Blake; for soprano voice and bass clarinet. Ms., composed 1987. 11 p. Dur. 6′. There is also a version for soprano and cello (1989). Contents: 1. Song (How sweet I roam’d). 2. Never Seek to Tell thy Love. 3. The Little Boy Found. 4. The Laughing Song. S: AMC.
(BECK)
Four Songs for Baritone; for baritone voice and piano. Ms., composed 1986. Dur. 6′. Only no. 1 is Blake: The Garden of Love. S: AMC.
(BECK)
London; for SATB chorus. Ms., c1980. Dur. 2′20″. S: AMC.
BEDFORD, David, 1937-; UK
An Island in the Moon; for SATB (soloists or small choir) a cappella. London, Universal Edition, 1988. 13 p. Dur. 8′. Pub. no. UE 18432L. Reproduced from ms. Comm. by Elms Concerts for Singcircle, Gregory Rose cond., and 1st perf. by them, 1 Jan 1986, Almeida, London. Biog: Baker 20. See also BSM 90-92. S: copy.
[BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van, 1770-1827]
When the Green Woods Laugh. In: The Wonderful Year (London, Paterson’s Pbns, 1949). Arr. by J. Michael Diack, from Beethoven’s Piano Trio, op. 1, no. 2 (1795). Blake text: Laughing Song. S: G&T.
BERKELEY, Michael, 1948-; UK
The Wild Winds; for soprano and chamber orchestra or string quartet. London, OUP, 1978. 44 p. Dur. 12′. Blake text: Mad Song. 1st perf. 19 Dec. 1979, by Jane Manning, Little Venice CO, London, Richard Stamp cond. Biog: Baker 20. See also BSM 101. S: BMIC.
BEVAN, Temple, fl. 1915-1954.; UK
In Playtime. London, Paterson’s Pbns, ca. 1936. Incl. one Blake title: When the Green Woods Laugh (Laughing Song). S: G&T.
BIBERIAN, Gilbert E., 1944-; UK
The Sick Rose; for high voice and guitar. Ms., c1967. Dur. 30″. Atonal setting, available from composer (Cheltenham, Eng.). S: Maroney.
BIELAWA, Lisa.; USA
From The Marriage of Heaven and Hell; for SSAATBB chorus and two percussion players. Ms., c1996. Dur. ca. 11′30″. S: AMC.
BIRTWHISTLE, Harrison, Sir, 1934-; UK
Grimethorpe Aria; for brass band. London, Universal Edition, 1973. Dur. 14′. Score pref. with lines from Jerusalem: Let the Indefinite be explored, and let every Man be Judged by his own Works. Comm. and 1st perf. by Grimethorpe Colliery Band, 15 Aug. 1973. Recorded 1976 (Decca HEAD 14). Biog: IWWM; also Michael Hall, HB (1984). S: BMIC.
(BIRTWHISTLE)
Salford Toccata; for brass band and bass drum. London, Universal Edition, 1989. Dur. 16′. Comm. by K. Wilson; 1st perf. 12 Apr. 1989, Salford Colliery Brass Band, Elgar Howarth cond. Blake motto: Here mountains of brass promise much riches in their dreadful bosoms. S: BMIC.
BITGOOD, Roberta, 1908-; USA
Ye Works of the Lord; for mixed chorus and organ. Ms., composed 1993. Texts from the Bible and Wm. Blake. “Commissioned . . . for a jubilee celebration in her honor in New London, CT”—Amer. Organist, 23/3(1993): 10. Biog: NGDWC. Noted American organist and choral director.
BLAKE, Howard, 1938-; UK
All God’s Creatures; song-cycle for children’s voices and orchestra or piano. London, Faber Music, 1994. Dur. 24′. Comm. and 1st perf. 22 Mar. 1995, by the Guildford PO, composer cond. Texts by eight authors incl. three by Blake: 1. Prologue: A Robin Red Breast in a Cage. 2. The Tiger. 3. The Lamb. Biog: IWWM. S: pub.
begin page 43 | ↑ back to topBLYTON, Carey, 1932-; UK
Lachrymae—In Memoriam John Dowland, op. 23; five songs for high voice and acc. Three versions exist: 1958, for high voice and string quartet; 1960, for voice and piano (dur. 10′); 1967, for high voice and string orch., with prelude, interludes, and postlude (dur. 15′). Contents: five texts, no. 4 by Blake: O Rose, thou art sick (composed 1956). Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC; pc.
BOWER, Neville.; UK
Songs of Innocence; for mezzo or baritone and piano. Ms., composed 1995. Contents: 1. The Lamb. 2. Nurse’s Song. 3. Infant Joy. 4. A Cradle Song. 5. Spring. 6. The Divine Image. S: BMIC.
BRACKETT, Geoff (Geoffrey L.).; USA
The Songs of Mr. William Blake (Cassette album). Storm Records (UK), 1988. Dur. 58′30″. Folk/progressive rock music. Instrumentation: guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, violin, male/female vocals. Contents: (side 1) Introduction (SI). Infant Sorrow. Infant Joy. The Lamb. The Tyger. Spring. Holy Thursday (SE). London. (side 2) The Chimney Sweep (SI). The Chimney Sweep (SE). On Another’s Sorrow. The Fly. My Pretty Rose Tree. Ah, Sunflower. The Lilly. The Ecchoing Green. Biog: Prof. English, Pace U (NY). S: pc.
BRAGG, Billy (Steven William), 1957-; UK
Internationale (CD album). Elektra Entertainment, 1990. Publ. no. 60960. Incl. a setting of Blake’s Jerusalem (And did those feet). Another album, William Bloke (Cooking Vinyl, 1996), despite its title, does not seem to have any Blake tracks. Biog: Larkin. S: pc.
BRAEM, Thuering L. M., 1944-; SWITZERLAND
A Cradle Song; for mixed chorus (24 voices). Ms., composed 1996. Dur. 9′, Available from SME, Lucerne. Dedicated to the BBC Singers, London. The presentation is a form of musical-choral speech. Biog: IWWM; Swiss conductor and composer. S: SME.
BROMEHEAD, Jerome de, 1945-; IRELAND
Joy; for soprano and baritone soli and SATB chorus. Ms., composed 1982. Dur. 6′. Texts by Browning, Monsell, Tolstoy, Wordsworth, Swinburne, and Blake (I have no name . . .). S: IMIC.
BROWN, Christopher Roland, 1943-; UK
The Vision of Saul, op. 59; for SATB soli, SATB chorus, and orch. London, Chester Music, 1993. 32 p. Dur. 20′. Texts from the Bible, Blake (Go, therefore, cast out devils in Christ’s name . . .), Crashaw, and Donne. Biog: IWWM. See also BSM 192-95. S: BMIC.
BROWN, Francis James, 1925-; USA/UK
Nine Songs of Innocence, Experience and Prophecy; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1987. 25 p. Contents: 1. Infant Joy. 2. Prophecy, from Jerusalem. 3. A Cradle Song (Sweet dreams form a shade). 4. Prophecy, from Milton (The nature of infinity is this). 5. The Tiger. 6. Prophecy, from Europe (Shadows of men in fleeing bands). 7. The Human Abstract. 8. Prophecy, from America (Let the slave grinding at the mill). 9. Infant Joy (reprise). S: BMIC.
BROZEN, Michael, 1934-1988.; USA
Three Songs to Poems of William Blake; for medium voice and piano. Ms., c1989. Composed 1952. Contents: 1. Ah! Sun-flower. 2. The Sick Rose. 3. The Lilly. S: AMC.
BRUUN, Peter, 1968-; DENMARK
Flowers of Innocence and Experience; for bass voice, clarinet, viola, cello, and piano. Ms., composed 1992. Dur. 16′. 1st perf. 6 Dec. 1992. Blake texts: 1. The Blossom (6’). 2. The Sick Rose (4’). 3. The Sunflower (6’). S: DMIC.
[BUCHANAN, Dorothy Quita, 1945-; NZ
The Ancient of Days; for voice and piano (1967). Not Blake: title and text are from G.K. Chesterton. Biog: BDNZC. S: SOUNZ.]
BUCZYNSKI, Walter Joseph, 1933-; CANADA
Cradle Song, vocalise and elegy; for baritone, violin, and piano. Ms., composed 1983. 27 p. Dur. 20′. Available from CMC. See also BSM 204. Biog: Baker 20. S: CMC.
BULLARD, Alan, 1947-; UK
Four Songs of William Blake; for SSA choir. Ms., composed 1970. Dur. 6′. Contents: 1. The Shepherd. 2. Infant Joy. 3. Echoing Green. 4. The Lamb. S: BMIC.
BURGER, John.; USA
The Lamb; for SATB chorus and piano. Ms., composed 1981. S: AMC.
BURGON, Geoffrey Alan, 1941-; UK
The Sick Rose; for counter tenor and orchestra. Ms., n.d. From the song cycle Merciless Beauty, recorded by the City of London Sinfonia, James Bowman cond. Biog: Baker 20. Noted film composer. See also BSM 208. S: BMIC.
BURTCH, Mervyn, 1929-; UK
Two Blake Songs. Ms., composed 1968. Contents: 1. Piping Down the Valleys. 2. The Lamb. Biog: WWM (1969). See also BSM 210. S: G&T.
BSM 219: BUTTERLEY, Nigel, 1935-; AUSTRALIA
Six Blake Songs (1956). Now publ. in a 2nd rev. ed., for mezzo or baritone and piano. Claremont, Western Australia, Hovea Music Press, 1997. 24 p. Dur. 13′. S: AusMC.
begin page 44 | ↑ back to topCALTABIANO, Ronald, 1959-; USA
Metaphor; for SATB chorus. Bryn Mawr, PA, Merion Music/Th. Presser, c1996. Composed 1993. Dur. 6′20″. 1st section (8 p.) is Blake: The Fly. See also BSM 227. S: AMC.
CARDEW, Cornelius, 1936-1981.; UK
Voice from Thel’s Grave; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1957. 1st line: Why cannot the Ear be closed to its own (Thel, pl. 6). An early work by the noted avant-garde composer. Biog: New Grove. See also BSM 231. S: BMIC.
CHAPPLE, Brian, 1945-; UK
Two Blake Settings; for SS choir and piano. London, OUP, 1995. 8 p. Dur. ca. 4′. (Oxford Church Songs, T122). Contents: 1. The Shepherd. 2. Infant Joy. Comm. for Murray Stewart and the Finchley Children’s Music Group by the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund, and 1st perf. 16 April 1994, at Blackheath Concert Halls. Biog: IWWM. See also BSM 246-47. S: pub.
BSM 248: CHATHAM, Stephen.; CANADA
There Is Sweet Music Here. Now published: London, Ont., Canada, Jaymar, 1993. 12 p. S: CMC.
CHENOWETH, Gerald C., 1943-; USA
The Ghost of Abel. Ms., composed 1970. 1st perf. 15 Mar. 1971, U of Massachusetts. Biog: Prof. Music, Rutgers U. S: G&T.
(CHENOWETH)
Scenes from Tiriel. Ms., composed 1979. Contains at least one Blake text: And aged Tiriel stood before the Gates of his beautiful palace. S: G&T.
CHILDS, Barney (Sanford), 1926-; USA
Six Settings for Chorus. Ms., composed 1953. Incl. one Blake title: The Fly. Biog: IWWM. Prof. Music emeritus, U of Redlands. S: G&T.
CLARKE, F.R.C. (Frederick Robert Charles), 1931-; CANADA
The Moth; The Tiger; two part-songs for SATB a cappella. Ms., c1988. Dur. 2′ and 2′30″. Available from CMC Toronto. Contents: 1. The Moth (De la Mare). 2. The Tiger (Blake). S: CMC.
*COLEGROVE, Suzanne M.
Mad Song. Ms., composed 1961. S: G&T.
COLES, Graham, 1948-; CANADA
’Twas When the Hour of Evening Came; eight songs for soprano and piano, op. 19. Ms., composed 1979. 52 p. Dur. ca. 26′. Available from CMC. No. 2 is The Voice of the Ancient Bard (Dur. 2′15″); other texts by Landor, Coleridge, Byron, Beddoes, Keats, and Wordsworth. S: CMC.
CONSTANTINIDES, Dinos (Constantine Demetrios), 1929-; GREECE/USA
Designs for Women’s Voices; for SSAA chorus and special sound effects. Ms., composed 1975. 17 p. Dur. 4′. (Composers Library LRC 34). Blake text: The Lamb. Also incl. as no. 2 of Two Songs for Christmas; for mixed chorus and organ/piano (LRC 46, 1977). Biog: ASCAP. Prof. Music, LSU, Baton Rouge. S: pc.
COOKE, Arnold Atkinson, 1906-; UK
Five Songs of William Blake; for baritone, recorder, and piano. London, Novello, 1987. Dur. 14′. Contents: 1. To Spring. 2. Spring. 3. To the Muses. 4. Night. 5. The Fly. 1st perf. Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre, 3 Mar. 1988, by John Powell (bar), John Turner (rec), and Peter Lawson (pf), for whom they were written. See also BSM 278. S: Poulton.
(COOKE)
Song of Innocence; for soprano and recorder. Ms., composed 1990. 1st perf. 26 Oct. 1996, Winslow Parish Hall, Cheshire, by Alison Wells (sop) and John Turner (rec), Tracy Chadwell Memorial Concert. S: Poulton.
COONEY, Cheryl L., 1953-; CANADA
Five English Songs; a song cycle for soprano and piano. Ms., composed 1980. 23 p. Dur. 15′. Available from CMC. Three texts by Blake: 1. Song, from Poetical Sketches. 4. The Poison Tree. 5. On Another’s Sorrow. S: CMC.
COPE, David Howell, 1941-; USA
Tyger! Tyger!; for SSAA chorus. Ms., composed 1975-76. Dur. 9′. 1st perf. 1976, Miami Choraleers (U of Miami, Ohio). Available from composer, UC Santa Cruz. Biog: NGDAM. S: pc.
COREN, Finn, 1961-; NORWAY
The Blake Project (two-CD album). Oslo, Bard Records, 1997-98 (BCD 1-2). Dur. 70′5″ and 33′38″. Composed 1983-96. Vocals by Coren with rock and string ensemble. Contents: (BCD-1) 1. The Ecchoing Green. 2. The Garden of Love. 3. Spring. 4. The Fly. 5. The Tyger. 6. London. 7. The Chimney Sweeper. 8. The Voice of the Ancient Bard. 9. Holy Thursday I (SI). 10. Holy Thursday II (SE). 11. Silent Melancholy: Song. 12. The Divine Image. 13. The Little Boy Lost. 14. The Little Boy Found. 15. Infant Sorrow. 16. Cradle Song. 17. A Dream. 18. To Tirzah. 19. Jerusalem. 20. The Sick Rose. (BCD-2) 1. Spring. 2. The Little Vagabond. 3. Nurse’s Song. 4. The Wild Flower’s Song. 5. A Poison Tree. 6. The Tyger (‘93 version). 7. The Lamb. 8. Soft Snow. 9. The Angel. 10. The Fly (Norwegian folk version). 11. Song: How Sweet I Roam’d. 12. The Wild Flower’s Song II. Released with support from Fond for utøvende kunstnere and Norsk Kassettavgiftsfond.
The Smile (composed 1996) was released in 1999 as a CD single: vocal by Coren, strings by Baard Slagsvold (dur. begin page 45 | ↑ back to top
CORINA, John H., 1928-; USA
From Songs of Innocence and Experience; song cycle for mezzo-soprano and woodwind quartet. Ms., composed 1976. Dur. 18′. 1st perf. MTNA, Atlanta, GA, 1977. Contents: 1. Introd. (SI). 2a. The Shepherd. 2b. The Lamb. 3a. The Blossom. 3b. The Sick Rose. 4a. Spring. 4b. The Fly. 5. The Chimney Sweeper. 6a. Infant Joy. 6b. Infant Sorrow. 7. The Lily. Nos. 1, 2b, 3b and 3a extracted from this cycle as Four Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Woodwind Quintet or Piano (1980; dur. 8′). Available from composer. Biog: ASCAP. Prof. Music, U of Georgia. S: pc.
*COULING, Judith A.
Songs of Innocence. Ms., composed 1954. Incl. Blake: Introd. (SI). S: G&T.
CRAFTS, Daniel Steven.; USA
Songs of Experience; for four voices and orchestra. Ms., composed 1982. Dur. ca. 2 hours. “A complete setting of the poetic cycle by William Blake. . . . The entire work is . . . written in cyclical form, one song often flowing into the next without pause”—DSC. S: AMC.
CROSSE, Gordon, 1937-; UK
Celebration; for chorus. London, OUP, n.d. 1st perf. 16 Sep. 1974, in London. “Text by Blake.” See also BSM 303-04. Biog: Baker 20. S: G&T.
CRUFT, Adrian Francis, 1921-1987.; UK
Into God’s Kingdom, op. 80; for baritone and piano. London, Joad, 1977. Composed 1975. Various texts, incl. The Door of Death (Blake poem To the Queen, from the dedication to Blake’s illustrations for Blair’s Grave). Biog: New Grove. S: G&T.
*CURCHACK, Fred.; USA
The Mental Traveller; theater piece. Ms., ca. 1979. 1st perf. 9 Feb. 1980, Theater of Man Performance Space, San Francisco. S: G&T.
*D’ANGELO, James, 1939-
The Angel. Ms., composed 1964. S: G&T.
DAVIES, Victor Albert, 1939-; CANADA
Seize the Fire; dance drama by Donald J. Unruh, created from texts by William Blake, with music by Victor Davies. Ms., created 1975-76. 1st perf. 1996 in Winnipeg by Cubiculo Theatre Lab. Biog: Encyc. of Music in Canada (c1992). S: pc.
DE CORMIER, Robert, 1922-; USA
Little Lamb; for four-part chorus of mixed voices a cappella. New York, Lawson-Gould, c1969. 15 p. (Robert De Cormier choral series, 51426). Text by the composer, but incl. Blake’s The Lamb, adapted. Biog: ASCAP. S: OCLC.
DE KENESSEY, Stefania M., 1961-; USA
Two Songs from Blake, op. 20; for soprano voice and piano. Ms., composed 1987. 20 p. Dur. 12′. Comm. and 1st perf. by Francesca Pannell. Contents: 1. Holy Thursday. 2. On Another’s Sorrow. S: NYWC; pc.
(DE KENESSEY)
Two Songs of Innocence, op. 21; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1987. 24 p. Dur. 12′. Dedicated to Gina Crusco, sop. Contents: 1. Cradle Song (Sweet dreams form a shade). 2. Laughing Song. S: NYWC; pc.
DEL TREDICI, David, 1937-; USA
Little Lamb. In: Lessons in Singing, by Ivan Trusler and Walter Ehret (Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall, 1972). One of 36 songs in this text is a setting by Del Tredici of The Lamb. Biog: NGDAM. S: G&T.
DEMIERRE, Jacques, 1954-; SWITZERLAND
Expinnocence; for voice, two pianos, and cello. Ms., composed 1986. Dur. 45′. Available from SME Lucerne. “Written for improvisator/reader, these pieces attempt to recreate a fantasy world, in honour of some of William Blake’s poems.” Biog: Swiss crossover pianist and composer. S: SME.
begin page 46 | ↑ back to topDIACK, John Michael, 1869-1946.; UK
The Wonderful Year. London, Paterson’s Pbns, 1949. Incl. a setting of Blake’s To Autumn. S: G&T.
DIAMOND, Arline, 1928-; USA
Little Lamb; for medium voice and piano. Ms., composed 1974. Biog: IEWC. S: AMC.
(DIAMOND)
Piping; for medium voice and piano. Ms., composed 1974. S: AMC.
DICKINSON, (Paul) Bruce, 1958-; UK
Chemical Wedding (CD album). CMC Int’l, 1998. Incl. three Blake titles, vocals by the composer: 1. Book of Thel. 2. Gates of Urizen. 3. Jerusalem. Biog: Former lead-singer of Iron Maiden (Larkin).
DIEMER, Emma Lou, 1927-; USA
A Feast for Christmas; for SATB chorus and brass quintet or piano. Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, 1991. Dur. 10′. Composed 1988. Blake text: fourth of five movements is A Cradle Song (Sweet dreams form a shade). 1st perf. Central Missouri State Concert Choir, Conan Castle cond. See also BSM 362-63. Biog: Baker 20. S: DeVenney; pc.
DOORS, The (rock group, 1965-1971); USA
The End; song from the album entitled The Doors (Electra, 1967). Dur. 11′. One of Jim Morrison’s earliest songs (ca. 1965); used in Francis Ford Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now (1979). Blake text from Auguries of Innocence: Some are born to sweet delight . . . some are born to endless night. Album also contains material from MHH. The group’s name is reportedly inspired by the Blake quote: If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. S: pc.
DRING, Madeleine, 1923-1977.; UK
How Sweet I Roamed; for voice and piano. Ms., n.d. Dur. 4′. Biog: NGDWC. S: BMIC.
DUNCAN, Chester, 1913-; CANADA
The Shepherd; for unison choir or single (child-like) voice and piano. Ms., c1997. 3 p. Dur. ca. 2′. Photocopy in CMC Toronto. S: CMC.
DUNCAN, William Edmondstoune, 1866-1920.; UK
English Songs, Books III and V. Glasgow, Aird and Coghill, 1919 and 1920. Incl. four Blake settings: 1. The Lamb. 2. Mad Song. 3. Memory, hither Come. 4. Song: When Early Morn Walks Forth. Biog: Baker. See also BSM 379-80. S: G&T.
(DUNCAN)
Invocation to Spring. York, Eng., Banks, 1922. Blake text: To Spring. S: G&T.
EDDLEMAN, David, 1936-; USA
Sweet Sleep, Sweet Dreams; for unison or two-part chorus, with optional flute. New York, Carl Fischer, 1979. Pub. no. 8075. Text adapted by composer from A Cradle Song. Biog: Sr. music editor, Silver Burdett Ginn. S: pub.
ELLIOTT, Jonathan, 1962-; USA
A Garden: prologue and four movements; for SATB chorus. Ms., c1991. Dur. 14′. Composed 1990. Contents: Prologue: A Garden of Love. 1. My Pretty Rose Tree. 2. Ah! Sunflower. 3. The Lilly. 4. The Sick Rose. S: AMC.
ELLIS, David, 1933-; UK
An Image of Truth, op. 35a; for mezzo, flute, and piano. Ms., composed 1972. Dur. 4′. Blake text: eight couplets from Proverbs of Hell (MHH). Also an enlarged version, for bass voice, SATB chorus, and string orchestra, op. 35b (1975). Dur. 32′. Intermingles Latin mass texts with MHH: A Memorable Fancy (As I was walking among the fires of Hell. . .). The work is prefaced with the Blake quotation: Everything possible to be believ’d is an image of truth. 1st perf. 1975 with Harrogate CS, I. Linford cond. Recorded by ASC Records (CS CD6). Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC.
EMERSON, Ethel.; UK
The Lamb; tone poem. Stroud, John White, ca. 1885. Sotheby catalogue, 23 Nov. 1970, lot 39. S: GEB.
BSM 417: FARQUHAR, David, 1928-; NZ
Blake Songs (1947-49). Now published as Eight Blake Songs; for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and piano. Wellington, Waite-ata Press, 1988. 22 p. Dur. 15′. (1988 Music Editions, no. 6). Nos. 1-6, 8-9 of BSM 417. S: BCM 1991.
FERGUSON, Barry, 1942-; UK
On Another’s Sorrow; for two treble voices and unison treble chorus. Hildenborough, Kent, Encore Pbns, 1997. 2p. Composed 1973. “Dedicated to and 1st perf. by Malcolm and Katharine Brown; subseq. taken into the Rochester Cathedral choir repertoire”—BF. Biog: IWWM. English organist and choir director. S: pc.
(FERGUSON)
Sweet Babe, in Thy Face (A Cradle Song); for SATB chorus a cappella. Ms., composed 1973. “For Rachel Ferguson’s christening”—BF. S: pc.
FINNISSY, Michael, 1946-; UK
above earth’s shadow, op. 126; for solo violin and chamber group of six players. London, United Music Publishers, 1985. begin page 47 | ↑ back to top Dur. 18′. Title from MHH. 1st perf. 22 Nov. 1985, Huddersfield Festival, by Spectrum, Irvine Arditi, vln, Guy Protheroe, dir. Biog: IWWM. S: Uncommon Ground, eds. Henrietta Brougham, Christopher Fox, and Ian Pace (Aldershot, Eng., Ashgate, c1997).
(FINNISSY)
Glad Day, op. 199; piece for two recorders, two trumpets, organ, harp, and strings. Oxford, OUP, 1994. Dur. 13′. Title from Blake painting of same name, also called The Rise of Albion. 1st perf. 15 Jan. 1995, Town Hall, Birmingham, by King’s Consort, Robert King, dir. S: Uncommon Ground.
(FINNISSY)
Wild Flowers, op. 26; for two pianos. Karlsruhe, Ger., Edition Modern, 1974. Dur. 10′. Title from Auguries of Innocence. 1st perf. 26 Nov. 1975, ISCM Festival, Paris, by Katia and Marielle Labèque.[e] S: Uncommon Ground.
(FINNISSY)
World, op. 16; for six amplified voices and ensemble of twenty-seven instruments. Karlsruhe, Ger., Edition Modern, 1975. Dur. 19′. Composed 1968-74. Comm. by London Sinfonietta. 1st perf. 23 Mar. 1975, Royon Festival, France. Text by Mayakovsky and six others, incl. Blake: Stars of fire rise . . . And one Sun each morning like a New born; section sung by bass and baritone. S: BMIC et al.
FLAVELL, Edwin Mark.; UK
The Child and the Piper. London, Charles Tuckwood, 1891. (The Winchester series of two-part songs). Blake text: Introd. to SI. Biog: Brown. S: G&T.
FONTYN, Jacqueline, 1930-; BELGIUM
Blake’s Mirror; for mezzo/contralto and wind orchestra. Warmerveer, Holland, Molenaar Edition, 1993. 60 p. Dur. ca. 13′. 1st perf. Apr. 1993, Venlo, Nederl. CD recording: WWM 500.035 (Netherlands). Contents: 1. The Angel. 2. The Tyger. 3. The Fly. 4. Song (Memory, Hither Come). Biog: IWWM; NGDWC. Prof. Music, Antwerp (and Brussels) royal conservatories. S: pc.
(FONTYN)
Rosa, Rosae; song cycle for soprano, contralto, clarinet, violin, harp, and piano. Ottignies, Belgium, POM, 1986. 29 p. Incl. optional percussion instruments for the singers. Six texts on rose poems by Lorca, Rilke, and others incl. Blake, no. 4 (pp. 14-19): The Sick Rose. S: pc; copy.
BSM 450: FOSTER, Derek.; UK
Songs of Innocence (1973-75). Now published: Enfield, Eng., Modus Music, c1990. Pub. no. MM10. S: BCM 1991.
FOULDS, John Herbert, 1880-1939.; UK
The Ancient of Days (Music Pictures Group 3: Lento tragico), op. 82b; for orchestra of winds, brass, harp, and percussion. Ms., composed 1912. After Blake; some material adapted for the composer’s Saint Joan Suite. Biog: Grove. S: BMIC.
FRANDSEN, John, 1956-; DENMARK
Songs of Experience; for tenor voice and guitar. Ms., composed 1991. Dur. 12′. 1st perf. May 1992. Contents: 1. The Voice of the Ancient Bard. 2. The Garden of Love. 3. The Fly. 4. The Sick Rose. 5. Ah, Sun-flower. Biog: IWWM; Danish organist, conductor, and composer. See also BSM 454-55. S: DMIC.
FREUND, Don, 1947-; USA
The Chimney Sweeper: Two Songs from William Blake; for soprano and piano. Ms., composed 1967. 12 p. Dur. 10′. Settings of the two Blake poems of this title with connecting instr. interlude. 1st perf. 10 Apr. 1968, at Duquesne U, Pittsburgh. Transcr. for soprano, flute, and harpsichord (1988) and for soprano, flute, and piano (1997). Now publ. by Freundworks (Bloomington). Biog: Prof. Music, Indiana U. S: pc.
(FREUND)
Three Blake Songs; for two-part treble choir and Orff Instrumentarium (percussion and recorders) or piano. New York, Boosey & Hawkes, 1995. Pub. no. ENB 411. Dur. 9′. Each available separately. Contents: 1. The Lamb (6 p.). 2. The Tyger (10 p.). 3. The Divine Image (8 p.). CD recordings available from composer. S: pc.
FRISKIN, Mrs. James.
See: CLARKE, Rebecca. BSM 259.
FUGS, The (rock group, 1965- ); USA
Live from the 60’s (CD album: Fugs, 1994). Incl. Homage to Catherine and William Blake. See also BSM 1071-74, and SANDERS (below). Biog: Larkin.
GALANTE, Carlo.; ITALY
Songs of Innocence; otto canzoni da William Blake per voce e pianoforte. Milano, Edizione Suvini Zerboni, c1986. 32 p. Pub. no. S. 9571Z. Composed 1985. Contents: 1. Never Seek to Tell thy Love. 2. I Asked a Thief. 3. The Fairy. 4. Morning. 5. Motto of The Songs of Innocence. 6. The Wild Flower’s Song. 7. Are Not the Joys of Morning Sweeter. 8. Why Was Cupid a Boy. S: OCLC.
GILBERT, Anthony John, 1934-; UK
Canticle 2: Anger; for six male voices soli. London, Schott Music Int’l, 1974. 11 p. Dur. 6′. Date at end: 8/5/73. 1st perf. July 1974, Cheltenham Festival, by The King’s Singers. Blake text: A Poison Tree. Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC; copy.
GLYNN, Gerald, 1943-; AUSTRALIA
William Blake Triptych; for SATB choir. Ms., composed 1981. 10 p. Written for Nicholas Routley and the Sydney U Chamber begin page 48 | ↑ back to top Choir. Contents: 1. The Sick Rose. 2. The Tyger. 3. A Poison Tree. Biog: IWWM. S: AusMC.
GOEHR, Alexander, 1932-; UK
Naboth’s Vineyard, op. 25; dramatic madrigal for contralto, tenor, bass, two mimes, and chamber ensemble. New York, Schott, c1973. 73 p. (Pub. no. 11108). Text in English, German, and Latin. “There’s an episode in Blake’s life when he threw a soldier out of his garden; the soldier had him put on trial for sedition, and gave false evidence against him. In a similar way, Jezebel gave false evidence against Naboth”—AG. Biog: New Grove. See also BSM 499-501. S: OCLC.
GRANDISON, Mark, 1965-; AUSTRALIA
Five Blake Songs; for soprano and piano. Ms., composed 1990. 34 p. Dur. 15′. 1st perf. 30 Nov. 1993, by Jeannie Marsh and Greg Roberts at Studio 520, ABC Collinswood. Contents: 1. The Human Abstract. 2. Morning. 3. Ah, Sunflower. 4. Never Pain to Tell thy Love. 5. The Sick Rose. Biog: IWWM. S: AusMC.
GREEN, Ole-Carsten, 1922-; DENMARK
Sange (from Songs of Experience); for mezzo soprano and piano. Ms., n.d. Dur. 20′. 1st perf. 28 Oct. 1990. Contents: 1. The Sick Rose. 2. The Fly. 3. The Tiger. 4. My Pretty Rose Tree. 5. Ah, Sun Flower. 6. The Garden of Love. 7. London. 8. A Poison Tree. See also BSM 512-16. S: DMIC.
(GREEN)
Three Summer Songs, op. 61.; for mezzo-soprano, flute, viola, and cello. Ms., composed 1980. Dur. 6′. 1st perf. 4 Sep. 1991. Blake texts: 1. How Sweet I Roam’d. 2. My Silks and Fine Array. 3. Love and Harmony Combine. S: DMIC.
GREGSON, Edward, 1945-; UK
Of Men and Mountains; for brass band. London, Novello, 1990. Dur. 17′. Title after Blake. Comm. for the Netherlands Brass Band Championships, Dec. 1990, Drachten. Dedication: in memory of Eric Ball. Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC.
GUNDRY, Inglis, 1905-; UK
Four Songs of Experience; for tenor voice and piano. Ms., composed ca. 1955. Dur. 10′. Contents: 1. Hear the Voice of the Bard. 2. Ah! Sunflower. 3. The Sick Rose. 4. The Tiger. BBC broadcast, 1956. Part of the composer’s “90th Birthday Celebration,” 7 May 1995, St. John’s, Smith Square, Jane Lofthouse, sop, and Michael Dussek, piano. Biog: Baker 20. S: BMIC; pc.
HAGEN, Daron Aric, 1961-; USA
Echo’s Songs; eleven songs for high voice and piano. Boston, E.C. Schirmer, c1992. 19 p. Cat. no. ECS 4425. No. 1 (pp. 3-4) is Blake: Never Pain to Tell thy Love. Set recorded by Susan Crowder, sop, Bradley Moore, piano, and Sara Stern, fl, on Arsis Audio CD 106: Daren Hagen: Songs. Biog: IWWM (1990-91). S: AMC; copy.
(HAGEN)
Love Songs; a cycle of eight songs for high voice and piano. Boston, E.C. Schirmer, c1992. 24 p. Cat. no. ECS 4426. No. 3 (pp. 8-9) is Blake: Ah, Sun-flower. Also recorded on Arsis Audio CD 106. S: pub.
HALE, Vernon, 1946-; UK
The Divine Image; for organ. Ms., n.d. 1st perf. 5 Sept. 1979 at Brighton, by Ian Curror. Title after Blake. S: Composer, Winter 1979-80.
HALL, John Gerald, 1905-1991.; UK
Tiger, Tiger; song. Ms., n.d. No copy available; Blake text indicated. S: BMIC.
HANDEL, Darrell.; USA
The Tyger; for mezzo-soprano, oboe, piano, and string quartet. Ms., composed 1984. Dur. 8′. S: AMC.
HANSON, Robert Frederic, 1948-; UK
Auguries of Innocence; song cycle for mezzo and piano. Ms., composed 1988. 28 p. Dur. 22′. Contents: 1. The Clod and the Pebble. 2. London. 3. Infant Sorrow. 4. Auguries of Innocence. Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC.
HARPER, Edward James, 1941-; SCOTLAND
The Lamb; cantata for soprano, chorus, and orchestra. London, OUP, 1990. 97 p. Dur. 30′. Vocal score and parts on rental from OUP. Comm. by Bearsden Burgh Choir; 1st perf. Glasgow, 9 Dec. 1990. Uses Blake’s The Lamb in the final section of the cantata. Biog: IWWM. Prof. Music, U of Edinburgh. S: SMIC; pc.
HARRIS, Robert A.; USA
The Lamb; for SSAA chorus a cappella. New York, OUP, 1988. 8 p. “For the Roland-Story High School Treble Choir, Story City, Iowa, Pamela Quick, director.” S: copy.
HAWKINS, John B., 1948-; UK
This World; for SATB chorus, two sopranos, and two trumpets. Ms., composed 1994. 44 p. Dur. 10′. Available from composer. Text from the Book of Job and Blake (1. Jerusalem: Earth and all you behold . . .; and 2. Urizen: His cold horrors silent . . .). Dedicated to the English choir Cryes of London, D. Temple dir., and 1st perf. by them; later broadcast and recorded by the BBC Singers, 27 Dec. 1996. S: BMIC; pc.
(HAWKINS)
Urizen; for viola and piano (or orchestra). London, Boosey & Hawkes, 1995. 16 p. Dur. 9′. Composed 1984. Score and begin page 49 | ↑ back to top parts on rental from B&H. Inspired by Urizen plate titled The Binding of Urizen; score has text beginning What Demon hath form’d this abominable void . . . . Comm. and 1st perf. on BBC by British violist Paul Silverthorne. Has been choreographed and perf. as a ballet in Chicago. Rev: P. McCarty, Strings 7/5 (1993): 33-36, incl. biog. data and opening cadenza of score. S: pc.
HEALE, Helene, 1855-; UK
Twelve Two-Part Songs. London, Augener, 1888. Each pub. separately; incl. one Blake title: Night. Biog: IEWC; Brown. S: G&T.
HIATT, Kevin, 19—; USA
Holy Thursdays; for tenor voice and guitar. Ms., n.d. Dur. 12′. Cycle of three Blake songs. “Very difficult.” S: Maroney.
HODDINOTT, Alun, CBE, 1929-; UK
Three Motets; for SATB chorus and organ. Ms., n.d. 1st perf. 17 Oct. 1993, by Emory U chorus. Comm. by Alice Witherspoon Bliss in memory of Evelyn Lee Witherspoon. Contents: 1. Donne (Sonnet VI). 2. Blake (Milton). 3. Vaughan (They are all gone . . .). Biog: Baker 20. S: BMIC.
HOFFMAN, Theodore.; USA
The Lamb and the Tiger. Ms., composed 1965. 1st perf. 1965, U of South Florida. S: G&T.
HOIBY, Lee, 1926-; USA
Two Poems of William Blake; for medium voice and piano. Ms., c1987. 6 p. Composed 1987. Contents: 1. The Shepherd. 2. The Lamb. Biog: IWWM. Noted composer of operas on contemporary themes. S: Carman.
HOLLOWAY, Robin Greville, 1943-; UK
The Spacious Firmament; ode for chorus and orchestra. London, Boosey & Hawkes, 1990. 90 p. Dur. 33′. Facsimile of score available on rental. 1st perf. 21 Jan. 1991, City of Birmingham SO, Simon Rattle cond. Texts by Dryden, Tennyson, and Blake (1. Motto: To see a world in a grain of sand . . .; and 2. Auguries: A robin redbreast in a cage . . .). S: BMIC.
HOLTEN, Bo, 1948-; DENMARK
The Hours of Folly; for voice, flute, clarinet, and string quartet. Ms., composed 1984. Dur. 4′. Blake text based on Proverbs of Hell (MHH). 1st perf. 25 Sep. 1984. Biog: IWWM. See also BSM 600-603. S: DMIC.
(HOLTEN)
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell; for mixed chorus of twelve voices. Copenhagen, Ed. Wm. Hansen, n.d. Dur. 29′. Composed 1992-95. 1st perf. May 1995. Title is from the Blake poem, but text is six poems from SI and SE: 1. The Sick Rose. 2. The Tyger. 3. A Cradle Song. 4. Spring. 5. A Divine Image. 6. Night. S: DMIC.
(HOLTEN)
Night; for mixed twelve-part chorus. Copenhagen, C.W. Hansen, 1992. Dur. 11′. 1st perf. 24 Nov. 1992. S: DMIC.
HOMANS, Peter, 1955-; USA
Four Blake Visions; for solo soprano, SATB chorus, and piano four-hands. Ms., c1997. Dur. ca. 11′8″. Contents: 1. Introd. (SI). 2. The Lamb. 3. The Tyger. 4. Mock on, Mock on, Voltaire, Rousseau. S: AMC.
HOPKINS, Antony, 1921-; UK
Blake’s Lullaby; for unison children’s voices and piano. Wendover, Eng., Roberton Pbns, c1990. 4 p. (Roberton unison songs). Blake text: Cradle Song from SI. Biog: IWWM. S: BCM 1993.
HORNSLETH, Kristian.; DENMARK
Aegteskabet mellem himmel og helvede [The Marriage of Heaven and Hell]; for four solo voices, cello, piano, two guitars, bass, drums, keyboard, and percussion. Ms., n.d. Dur. 106′46″. 1st perf. 10 Oct. 1994. S: DMIC.
HOWARD, John Stuart, 1950-; UK
Dream Seven; for SATB soli, piano, and electronics. Ms., composed 1979. Dur. 20′. An intermingling of texts from Synesius of Cyrene, Paracelsus, Aquinas, Blake, and Chaucer; appears to use words from Blake: There is No Natural Religion. S: BMIC.
HOWARTH, Helen C.; USA
Seven Songs of William Blake; for voice and piano. New York, Breitkopf and Haertel, 1909. 2 vols. Each publ. separately. Contents: (I) 1. The Piper (Piping down the valleys wild). 2. Cradle Song (Sweet dreams form a shade). 3. The Blossom. 4. A Song (How sweet I roamed). (II) 5. The Shepherd. 6. The Lamb. 7. The Black Boy. Biog: IEWC. Sometimes listed under her married name: Lemmel. S: RLIN.
HURD, David.; USA
A Cradle Song; for SATB with organ. Minneapolis, Augsburg/Fortress, c1994. 11 p. (Augsburg choral library, pub. no. 11-10460). 1st line: Sweet dreams form a shade. Rev: J. McCray, Diapason 87/1041 (Aug. ‘96): 8. S: copy.
HUSTON, (Thomas) Scott, 1916-1991.; USA
Songs of Innocence; for tenor voice and piano. Ms., composed 1979. 1st perf. 15 July 1979, U of Cincinnati Conservatory. Contents: 1. The Lamb. 2. The Little Black Boy. 3. The Little Boy Lost. 4. On Another’s Sorrow. Biog: Baker 20. S: G&T.
begin page 50 | ↑ back to top(HUSTON)
Songs of Experience; for mezzo and piano. Ms., composed 1981. S: NGDAM.
*HYATT, John B.
Three Songs from William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Ms., composed 1954. Contents: 1. Earth’s Answer. 2. Introd. to SE. 3. The Little Boy Lost. S: G&T.
IMBRIE, Andrew Welsh, 1921-; USA
Requiem, in Memoriam John H. Imbrie; for soprano solo, SATB chorus, and orchestra. New York, Malcolm Music/Shawnee Press, n.d. Composed 1984. Full score: 187 p. (Blake: 28 p.). Dur. 31′47″ (Blake: 4′15″). Texts from Liber Usualis, Blake (To the Evening Star), Donne, and Herbert. Comm. (and 1st perf. in 1985) by San Francisco Symphony, Edo De Waart cond.; also perf. by Riverside Symphony, Geo. Rothman cond., Jan. 1998, at Alice Tully Hall, NY; available on CD (Bridge 9091) with the composer’s 3rd piano concerto. Biog: New Grove. S: DeVenney; pc.
JEFFERS, Ron (Ronald Harrison), 1943-; USA
Two Blake Songs; for women’s chorus. Ms., composed 1987. 3 p. (close score). Contents: 1. A Song of Innocence: The Divine Image. 2. A Song of Experience: A Divine Image. Biog: NGDAM. S: OCLC.
JONES, Daniel Jenkyn, 1912-1993.; UK
Laughing Song; for SATB chorus and brass quartet. Ms., composed 1979. Dur. 5′. Commissioned by the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. See also BSM 657-659. S: Poulton.
JONES, Kenneth Victor, 1924-; UK
Four Songs; for high voice, oboe, and piano. Ms., n.d. No. 3 is Blake: Love’s Secret. Biog: IWWM; Prof. Music, RCM. S: BMIC.
JORDAN, William, 1951-; CANADA
The Lamb; for high voice and piano. Calgary, Canadian Music Centre, distr., 1987. 4 p. “Grade II boy’s vocal solo.” S: CMC.
JUBB, Andrew.; UK
Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake. Ms., n.d. Perf. 2 May 1971? by Oxford Pro Musica Theatre Music Ensemble, Andrew Jubb dir., St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. S: GEB.
KAGEN, Sergius, 1909-1964.; USA
Tiger. Ms., composed 1949-64. Blake text: The Tyger. See also BSM 682-3. Biog: Baker 20. S: G&T.
KAIPAINEN, Jouni Ilari, 1956-; FINLAND
Lacrimosa; for mixed double chorus a cappella. Ms., composed 1989. Dur. 14′29″. Score combines Latin Requiem and Vulgate passages with English Blake texts: I. De Profundis, with a fragment from Jerusalem, ch. 1. II. Lacrimosa, with Holy Thursday (SE). III. Recordare, with The Angel (SE). IV. Lux Aeterna, with To the Christians (Jerusalem, ch. 3) and a fragment from Auguries of Innocence. Biog: IWWM. S: FMIC.
KAMINSKY, Laura, 1956-; USA
Proverbs of Hell; for soprano, marimba, and piano. Ms., composed 1989. 23 p. Dur. 14′. 1st perf. by Christine Schadeberg, NYC. Comm. by Musicians Accord, a new music project, with funds from the NY Council on the Arts. Biog: IWWM. S: NGDWC; pc.
KEAM, Glenda, 1960-; NZ
Two Songs of Experience; for medium voice and piano. Ms., composed 1988-90. 4 and 3 p. Dur. 4′. Contents: 1. A Poison Tree. 2. The Sick Rose. No. 1 was 1st perf. 26 Jan. 1988, by mezzo Mary Newman-Bond, for whom the songs were written, and Rosemary Bauer, at Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair, London; 1st perf. as a set by Newman-Bond and Nicholas Bosworth, 25 Aug. 1992, at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. S: SOUNZ.
(KEAM)
The Tyger; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1993. 11 p. Dur. 6′. S: pc.
KECHLEY, David Stevenson, 1947-; USA
With Silent Delight; for SATB chorus. Ms., n.d. Blake text: The sun descending in the west (Night). See also BSM 693. Biog: IWWM (1990-91); Prof. Music, Williams College. S: AMC.
KEELING, Andrew, 1955-; UK
Auguries of Innocence; for SATB choir. Ms., composed 1991. 1st line: To see a world in a grain of sand. S: BMIC.
KELLETT, Paul, 1966-; UK
Diabolus in Musica; for two speakers and chamber group of two flutes, two pianos, two percussion, two violins, two cellos, and two double bass. Ms., composed 1990. Dur. 20′. Blake text indicated. S: BMIC.
KING, Anthony, 1900-; UK
The Lamb; for soprano solo, SATB chorus, and piano. London, Cramer Music, c1989. 16 p. (Cramer choral series, pl. no. 2116). S: BCM 1991.
*KING, Norman.; AUSTRALIA
The Little Boy. Sydney, Paling, 1937. Blake text: The Little Boy Found. S: G&T.
begin page 51 | ↑ back to topKINGMAN, Daniel C., 1924-; USA
Oh, Mister Blake!; for SSATB chorus and guitar. Ms., composed 1984. Blake texts from MHH. S: AMC.
KNOPF, Michael, 1955-; AUSTRALIA
The Divine Image; for SSATTBB choir. White Rock, Qld., Knopf Music, 1996. 6 p. Biog: IWWM. S: AusMC.
KOSELUK, William G., 1958-; USA
The Blake Experience; for TTBB chorus and tenor solo. Ms., composed 1991. Dur. ca. 14′. 1st complete perf. 13 Dec. 1992, Bing Theater, LACMA, Los Angeles, by the Schubertians, Karl Zytowski dir. Contents: 1. Introduction (SE). 2. The Fly. 3. Holy Thursday. 4. The Clod and the Pebble. 5. Song of the Ancient Bard. 6. The Lily. 7. The Little Vagabond. Biog: UC Santa Barbara faculty. S: pc.
KOX, Hans, 1930-; NETHERLANDS
Anne Frank Cantata: a child of light; symphonic cantata for SAB soli, mixed chorus, and orchestra. Amsterdam, Donemus, 1985. 54 p. Dur. 45′. Recording: Composers’ Voice Special 1987/4. Text from many sources, incl. Bible, St. Augustine, Rilke, Blake, Hitler, SS, etc. Blake: three lines, beginning The angel that presided o’er my birth . . . . S: Donemus.
KRISTIANNE, Krysia.; USA
The Tyger and Other Tales; English Romantic poetry set to music (CD album). Los Angeles, Sentience Records, 1996. Pub. no. JVC-4010-2. Vocals by Kristianne with instrumental group. New Age settings using texts by Keats, Shelley, and Tennyson, as well as Blake’s Tyger. S: pc.
KUNZ, Alfred Leopold, 1929-; CANADA
Second Book of Solo Songs; for medium or high voice and piano. Ms., composed 1978. 26 p. Collection of fourteen songs incl. one with Blake text: Memory, hither come. Available from CMC Toronto. Biog: Baker 20. S: CMC.
KUPFERMAN, Meyer, 1926-; USA
Blind-man’s Buff: a Christmas madrigal; for SATB chorus. Ms., composed 1956. Dur.ca.6′20″. See also BSM 723. Biog: NGDAM. S: AMC.
*LANDER, Cyril B.
Love’s Secret. In: Flores de Mi Primavera (Ms., n.d.). 1st line: I told my love. S: G&T.
LANGERT, Jules, 1932-; USA
Defining Moments: four songs to verses by William Blake; for SATB a cappella. Berkeley, CA, Fallen Leaf Press, 1996, c1995. 13 p. Dur. 6′. (Fallen Leaf Pbns. in Contemp. Music, no. 74). Contents: 1. Infant Sorrow. 2. Fragment (Mock on, mock on, Voltaire). 3. Auguries of Innocence. 4. The Fly. S: AMC; copy.
LAWRENCE, Mark.; UK
The Echoing Green; cycle of three songs for SA soli and double chorus. Ms., composed 1993; rev. and shortened 1994. Dur. 17′. 1st perf. Apr. 1993, St. John’s Smith Square, by Voices Foundation Chamber Choir, Susan Digby dir., with John Amis reader. Recorded by the New London Chamber Choir, James Wood dir. (BMIC cassette 2497). Contents: 6 nos.; nos. 1,4, and 6 consist of verses from The Echoing Green. 2. Infant Joy. 3. Infant Sorrow. 5. The Clod and the Pebble. Biog: Specialist in children’s music education, Bristol, Eng. S: BMIC.
(LAWRENCE)
At the Year’s Turning; choral cycle. Ms., composed ca. 1995. Incl. a setting of Blake’s The Fly. S: pc.
(LAWRENCE)
Song for Celia; for children’s chorus and organ. Ms., composed 1995. Comm. for the 65th birthday of Peter Hurford. Incl. a setting of Blake’s The Piper. S: pc.
LEEUW, Charles van der, 1952-; NETHERLANDS
Voices in the Dark; for soprano solo and chamber group of flute, clarinet, three saxes, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, electric bass, and piano. Amsterdam, Donemus, 1979. 32 p. Dur. 15′. Texts from Wilde, Whitman, Jefferson, Karl Bowman, Brecht, and Blake (four lines beginning: We are led to believe a lie). S: K. Klaus, Chamber Music for Solo Voice . . . (Fallen Leaf Press, c1994); Donemus.
LEIGH, Walter, 1905-1942.; UK
How Sweet I Roamed; song for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1924. Dur. 2′30″. Biog: Baker 20. S: BMIC.
(LEIGH)
Love’s Secret; song for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1925. S: Poulton.
LEIGHTON, Kenneth, 1929-1988.; UK
Laudes Animantium, op. 61; for solo voices, double chorus and boys’ voices. Ms., composed 1972. 1st perf. June 1973, Purcell Room, London. Incl. two Blake titles: 1. The Lamb. 2. The Tyger. Biog: Baker 20. S: G&T.
LINDSAY, Caroline Blanche Elizabeth, Lady, d. 1912.; UK
Musical Miniatures; twelve songs in three books. London, Stanley Lucas, Weber, 1878. Bk. I incl. Blake: The Shepherd. One of the earliest Blake settings by this English poet and social activist. S: G&T.
LORENTZEN, Bent, 1935-; DENMARK
Choral Songs of Blake; for SATB chorus. Copenhagen, Ed. Wm. Hansen, 1990. Dur. 8′. 1st perf. 19 Nov. 1990. Contents: 1. To the Evening Star. 2. To Morning. Biog: New Grove. S: DMIC.
begin page 52 | ↑ back to topLURIE, Evan.; USA
Selling Water by the Side of the River (CD album). New York, Antilles/Island Records, 1990. Tracks incl. Rintrah Roars, instrumental with title from Blake (MHH etc.). Rev: Folk Roots no. 91-92 (Jan.-Feb. 1991): 79. Biog: Larkin. S: pc.
LYON, David N., 1938-; UK
Three Spring Songs, op. 2; for double chorus. Ms., n.d. Contents: 1. Spring Song (Blake). 2. The Year’s at the Spring (Browning). 3. May Magnificat (Hopkins). S: BMIC.
MAC DONALD, Andrew P., 1958-; CANADA
Innocence, op. 26; for high (or low) voice and piano. Ms., composed 1991. 19 p. Both versions available from CMC Montreal. S: CMC.
MACONCHY, Elizabeth, DBE, 1907-1994.; UK
O Time, Turn Back; for SATB voices, wind quintet, and cello. London, Chester Music, 1984. Dur. 15′. On texts of Shakespeare, Raleigh, Vaughan, Herrick, and Blake (two lines: Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, and Eternity in an hour). Comm. and 1st perf. by BBC Northern Singers, Stephen Wilkinson cond., 20 May 1985, BBC Radio 3. Biog: New Grove. S: NGDWC; pc.
MARTLAND, Steve, 1959-; UK
Albion; for tape and film. London, Schott Music Int’l, 1987-88. Title often used by Blake (e.g., Four Zoas). Biog: IWWM. S: pub.
(MARTLAND)
Glad Day; for voice and ensemble. London, Schott, 1988. Dur. 16′. Title after Blake engraving of same name, but text by Stevan Keane. S: pub.
(MARTLAND)
Horses of Instruction; for orchestra. London, Schott, 1994-95. Dur. 17′. Title from MHH. S: pub.
(MARTLAND)
Orc; for horn and small orchestra. London, Schott, 1984. Dur. 20′. Title from The Four Zoas. S: pub.
(MARTLAND)
Summer Rounds; for double chorus a cappella. London, Schott, 1998. 65 p. Composed 1997. Contents: 1. and 5. Summer is a coming in (anon. 13 cent.). 2. To Autumn. 3. Song by an Old Shepherd (When silver snow . . .). 4. Spring (Sound the flute). 1st perf. Newbury Spring Festival, by The Joyful Company of Singers, Peter Broadbent cond. S: copy.
MATHIAS, William James, CBE, 1934-1992.; UK
The Echoing Green, op. 95, no. 2; for SSAA chorus and piano. London, OUP, c1987. 11 p. Dur. 4′. (Oxford choral songs for women’s voices, W 105). Date at end: 23-25 Feb. 1985. Comm. (and 1st perf. 21 May 1985) by The Lyons Township (Ill.) High School Treble Choir, Lynn Bradley dir, See also BSM 838. S: copy.
MATTHEWS, David John, 1943-; UK
The Golden Kingdom; song cycle for high voice and piano. London, Faber Music, 1979-83. Contains a setting of Blake’s Lament of Ahania (Four Zoas). Biog: IWWM. S: pub.
MC AULIFFE, Mary, 1947-; IRELAND
The Piper; for SA voices, alto recorder, and piano. Ms., composed 1992. Dur. 3′. S: IMIC.
MC CABE, John, 1939-; UK
A Summer Garland; for soprano, flute, oboe, harp, and cello. Ms., composed 1963. Dur. of set: 10′-11′. 6 nos. incl. no. 3: Song (Blake). Available from Novello. 1st perf. 2 Oct. 1963, at Bluecoat School Hall, Liverpool, with Emily Maire (sop). Rev: Guardian, 3 Oct. 1963. Biog: Baker 20. S: S.R. Craggs, JM (Greenwood Press, 1991).
MC LEOD, Jenny (Jennifer Helen), 1941-; NEW ZEALAND
Through the World: a song cycle of 15 poems by William Blake; for mezzo-soprano and piano. Wellington, Wai-te-ata Music Press, c1995. 56 p. Dur. 26′. (1995 music edition, no. 4). Composed 1982. Contents: 1. Man was Made for Joy and Woe. The Child’s Toys. 2. I Have No Name. 3. Love Seeketh Not. 4. Little Lamb. 5. Can I See Another’s Woe. 6. My Mother Groan’d! 7. The Vision of Christ. 8. Sound the Flute. 9. Is this a Holy Thing. 10. The Bird, a Nest. 11. Tyger, Tyger. 12. I Love to Rise. 13. I Asked a Thief. 14. I Wander Thro’; Who Will Exchange. 15. Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love. Nos. 2 and 11 issued separately in 1999 (SOUNZ). Biog: BDNZC. S: RLIN.
MC QUEEN, Ian.; SCOTLAND
Beggarman Thief! An opera in two parts for young people; for children’s chorus, piano, recorders, violins, and percussion. Ms., composed 1983. Dur. 85′. Libretto by composer after Sven Wenstrom, with selections from poems by William Blake. S: SMIC.
MIALL, David S.; CANADA
Four Blake Songs. Ms., composed 1971. Contents: 1. I Saw a Chapel All of Gold. 2. Nurse’s Song/Experience. 3. The Sick Rose. 4. Silent, Silent Night. Biog: Prof. English, U of Alberta. S: G&T.
MIKKELBORG, Palle, 1941-; DENMARK
The Noone of Night [The Fly]; for mixed chorus and two harps. Copenhagen, Ed. Wm. Hansen, 1996. Dur. 35′. 1st perf. 11 Apr. 1997. Recording: Da Capo 8.224144 (the CD begin page 53 | ↑ back to top
MITCHELL, Janice Misurell, 1946-; USA
Mad Song; for mixed chorus a cappella. Ms., c1975. Biog: IEWC. S: AMC.
MOORE, J. Chris, 1948-; USA
Infant Joy; for SATB chorus and keyboard. Columbus, Backenhorst, 1979. 8 p. S: G&T.
BSM 878, 879, 882:
MORAWETZ, Oskar, 1917-; CANADA
Three titles now published together as: Three Songs to Poems by William Blake. Toronto, Aeneas, 1989. S: CMC.
MORRISON, Van (George Ivan), 1945-; IRELAND
A Sense of Wonder (record album, MERH 54). Mercury, 1984. Ref.: Peter Mills, “Into the Mystic: the aural poetry of Van Morrison,” Popular Music (Cambridge, Eng.) 13:1 (1994): 91-103, discusses the impact of Yeats, Joyce, and Blake on M’s music, citing the text: With happiness stretched across the hills (from Blake’s letter to Thomas Butts, 22 Nov. 1802) and the Blake painting of Newton as sources of inspiration for this album. S: pc.
MORYL, Richard, 1929-; USA
An Island in the Moon; for solo soprano, piano, and slides. Hastings-on-Hudson, General Music Publishing, 1978. “This work is a theater piece, in which the singer moves about the stage as slides of Blake’s MSS. are projected behind the singer and accompanist”—RM. Biog: NGDAM. S: G&T.
MUELLER, Frederick A., 1921-; USA
Five Songs on Blake Texts. Morehead, F-A-M-E, 1963. Contents: 1. Ah! Sunflower! 2. The Fly. 3. Introd. to SI. 4. The Shepherd. 5. Spring. Biog: Prof. Music emeritus, Morehead State U, KY. S: G&T.
MYERS, Peter Joseph, 1962-; AUSTRALIA
The Sick Rose; chamber work for two flutes, viola, and cello. Ms., composed 1982. Title from Blake. Biog: IWWM. S: Broadstock.
NICHOLS, David Roy, 1955-; UK
Cantata: Jerusalem; for solo soprano, double choir with double wind band, and percussion. Ms., composed 1990-91. Dur. 35′. Comm. by the BBC; dedicated to Tamar Hodes and Stephen Plaistow. Recorded by Sarah Leonard, sop, and the BBC Singers, Odaline de la Martinez cond. (BMIC cassette 2628). Text from various sources, incl. Blake: 1. Vala, or The Four Zoas, Night the ninth. 2. Europe, the frontispiece. 3. Jerusalem, ch. 1, pl. 5. 4. Jerusalem, ch. 1, pls. 20 and 24. 5. Jerusalem, ch. 1, pl. 19. 6. Jerusalem, ch. 4, pl. 97. 7. Jerusalem, ch. 2, introd. S: BMIC; pc.
NUNN, Philip, 1961-; AUSTRALIA/UK
A Poison Tree; for orchestra (strings divisi a 64). Ms., composed 1978. Title from Blake. S: Broadstock.
*NUTTALL, Michael.; UK
A Cradle Song. Ms., composed 1957. 1st perf. 21 June 1957, Aldeburgh Festival Blake Centenary Competition. S: G&T.
*OGILVIE, Heather A.
Laughing Song. Ms., composed 1961. S: G&T.
BSM 923-925:
OWEN (later JONES), Morfydd Llwyn, 1891-1918.; UK
Three Blake titles now all reprinted 1991 in a Centenary Edition, with English/Welsh texts (tr. John Stoddart). S: BCM 1992.
(OWEN)
Mad Song; for SATB chorus (1912). Biog: NGDWC. Married for a time to the noted Freudian psychologist, Sir Ernest Jones; made effective use of Welsh folk melodies. S: NGDWC.
(OWEN)
A Song of Sorrow (Galargan); for voice and piano. Centenary Edition. Caerdydd, Canolfan Hysbysrwydd Cerddoriaeth Cymru, c1991. 3 p. English/Welsh texts (tr. John Stoddart). Blake text indicated. S: BCM 1993; RLIN.
PALMER, John C., 1959-; UK
Eternity; for STB soli and chamber group. Ms., n.d. Dur. 11′. Blake text indicated. Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC.
BSM 934: PARRY, Charles Hubert, 1848-1918.; UK
Jerusalem. Recordings and republications of this famous setting continue to turn up, despite one writer’s recent comment that the symbolism and irony of Blake make his poem unsuitable for a congregational hymn (see S.J. Rogel, “Blake’s ‘And Did Those Feet’ as Congregational Hymn,” The Hymn 44/3 (1993): 22-25).
PEDERSEN, Fuzzy (Jens Wilhelm), 1939-; DENMARK
Proverbs of Hell; for baritone solo, reciter, mixed chorus, percussion, tuba, and electronics. Copenhagen, Ed. Wm. Hansen, 1999. Dur. 21′. 1st perf. 16 Nov. 1999. Rec’d Wilhelm Hansen composer prize, 1999. S: DMIC.
PEITSALO, Peter, 1970-; FINLAND
Three Poems by William Blake; for mixed chorus accompanied. Ms., composed 1988-89. Dur. 13′. Tape and score available from FMIC. Contents: 1. The Fly. 2. The Tyger. 3. The Lamb. S: FMIC.
PELEGRÍ I MARIMÓN, Maria Teresa,[e] 1907-; SPAIN
Infant Joy—Spring; for mixed chorus. Ms., composed 1976. begin page 55 | ↑ back to top Dur. 8′. Music in a very contemporary Second Viennese style. Biog: NGDWC; also Associacio Catalana de Compositors, 68 Compositors Catalans (Barcelona, 1989).
PETERSON, John Murray, 1957-; AUSTRALIA
Eternity’s Sunrise; five songs for mezzo-soprano or contralto and piano. Alexandria, NSW, JMP Music Press, c1995. 32 p. Dur. ca. 12′. “Dedicated to the memory of Allan Byrnes.” 1st perf. 19 Aug. 1995, by Marianne Powles (contralto) and Kellie Dickerson (pf) in a concert at Old Darlington School, U of Sydney. Contents: 1. Auguries of Innocence. 2. On Another’s Sorrow. 3. Holy Thursday. 4. Endless Night. 5. Eternity. Biog: IWWM. S: AusMC.
PIERCE, Alesandra, 1934-; USA
Three Songs of Innocence; for SSA chorus and tom-tom. N.p., 1988. Contents: 1. Introd. to SI. 2. The Lamb. 3. Laughing Song. Biog: IEWC. S: OCLC.
PITFIELD, Thomas Baron, 1903-; UK
A Short Community Service; for chorus and organ. N.p., Ecumenical, 1964. Text by the composer and Blake (The Divine Image). Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC.
POSTON, Elizabeth, 1905-1987.; UK
The Lamb. In: The Children’s Song Book (London: Bodley, 1961). Biog: NGDWC. S: G&T.
POTTER, Edward Tuckerman, 1831-1904.; USA
The Tyger, Set to Music; for voice and piano. Newport, RI, C.E. Hammett, 1878. 4 p. Noted in Grinke and Rodgers catalogue (1969), lot 16. Apparently the earliest American setting of any Blake text. S: G&T.
POUSSEUR, Henri, 1929-; BELGIUM
Tales and Songs from the Bible of Hell; for voices and instrumental ensemble. Milan, Edition Sovini Zerboni, 1979. Dur. 28′. Text by E.E. Cummings, John Dowland, E.A. Poe, and Dylan Thomas, but incl. Blake: A Memorable Fancy (MHH). Recording: Electric Phoenix Performs Music by HP (London, Wergo, c1982. 1 LP). Biog: New Grove. S: OCLC.
RAMEY, Phillip, 1939-; USA
Merlin’s Prophecy; for high voice and piano. Ms., composed 1966. 2 p. Dur. 1′. Blake text beginning: The harvest shall flourish . . . . Biog: IWWM. S:AMC; pc.
(RAMEY)
A William Blake Trilogy; for soprano voice and piano. Ms., composed 1980. 37 p. Dur. ca. 14′. Contents: 1. The Grey Monk. 2. Song: My Silks and Fine Array. 3. A War Song to Englishmen. S:AMC; pc.
RANDALLS, Jeremy, 1959-; SCOTLAND
The Little Vagabond; a song cycle of poems by William Blake, for two sopranos, flute, oboe, bass-clarinet, horn, piano, viola, and cello. Ms., composed 1984. Dur. 25′. Contents: 1. Nurse’s Song. 2. The Tyger. 3. The Garden of Love. 4. The School Boy. 5. Infant Joy. 6. A Dream. 7. Earth’s Answer. 8. Spring. Biog: Scottish composer now living in Palermo. S: SMIC.
(RANDALLS)
Night; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1988. Dur. 4′45″. S: SMIC.
RASMUSSEN, Geraldine Dorothy, 1926-; USA
In the Bosom of God; song for high voice and piano, in F. Ms., composed 1987, rev. 1990. 3 p. See also BSM 1005-1012. S: pc.
*RAU, Earl.; USA
Love’s Secret. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Music Educators’ Assn., 1967. 1st words: I told my love. Score misattributes the text to Robt. Burns. S: G&T.
RAWSTHORNE, Alan, 1905-1971.; UK
Infant Joy; song for high voice and piano. Ms., composed ca. 1934-37. Dur. 1′30″. 1st perf. Graham Titus (ten), 22 Sept. 1974. Poulton also notes an unidentified Blake song by AR dating from ca. 1920. Biog: New Grove. S: Poulton.
RAYMOND, Ralph.; UK
I Told My Love; song for voice and piano. London, Lublin and Co., 1906. fol. S: CPM.
*REES, Elizabeth.
William Blake Fragments. Ms., composed 1971. Contents: 1. Eternity. 2. Song of the Aged Mother (Vala). 3-4. Lines from Jerusalem and MHH. 5. Daughters of Beulah! (Milton). 6. With Happiness Stretch’d Across the Hills (Ltr. to Thos. Butts, 22 Nov. 1802). S: G&T.
REYNARDSON, Herbert Frederick Birch.; UK
Book of Four Songs. London, J. and J. Hopkinson, 1889. Incl. one Blake title: My silks and fine array. S: G&T.
RITCHIE, John Anthony, 1921-; NZ
Five William Blake Songs of Innocence; for high voice and guitar. Ms., composed 1994. 23 p. Dur. 12′45″. Written for and 1st perf. by Malcolm McNeill (voice) and Tony Donaldson (guitar). Available from SOUNZ. Contents: 1-2. Ah! Sunflower. 3. The Fly. 4. Cradle Song. 5. The Tyger. See also BSM 1035. Biog: IWWM. S: SOUNZ.
ROCHBERG, George, 1919-; USA
Piping Down the Valleys Wild; in the composer’s Book of Songs for Voice and Piano (Bryn Mawr, PA, Th. Presser, c1969) no. 29. Composed 13 Feb. 1951, rev. 24 May 1969. begin page 56 | ↑ back to top Biog: New Grove. See also BSM 1041-42. S: J.D. Dixon, GR (Pendragon Press, c1992).
(ROCHBERG)
Tyger, Tyger; in the composer’s Book of Songs for Voice and Piano (Bryn Mawr, PA, Th. Presser, c1969) no. 35. 1st version composed 22 June-19 July 1957, 2nd version 23 June-2 July 1969. One of 35 songs gathered together and publ. from ms. Complete score: 164 p. S: Dixon (see preceding entry).
ROE, Betty, 1930-; UK
The Heritage of Children; cantata for soprano solo, SATB chorus, children’s choir, oboe, and organ. London, Thames Publishing, 1994. 32 p. 1st perf. 20 Nov. 1994, North Kensington Chorale, composer cond. Texts by Blake and five others; Blake: 1. Infant Joy. 2. Holy Thursday. 3. Nurse’s Song. 4. Sweet Joy. Biog: NGDWC. S: BMIC; pub.
ROPER, Ramon, 1941-; SCOTLAND
Wings II; for soprano voice and piano. Halstead, Essex, Anglian Editions, 1973. A cycle of five songs incl. Blake: The Blossom (dur. 1′). S: SMIC.
ROSE, John, 1928-; SCOTLAND
The Fly; for SAB voices and piano. Glasgow, Eden Music Publishing, 1995. Dur. 45”. Now incl. in the composer’s Two Fly Songs, for children’s voices. Biog: Music educator, founder of the St. Alban’s Chamber Choir. S: SMIC.
(ROSE)
Three Night Pieces; for children’s choir, recorder group, and percussion. Glasgow, Eden Music Publishing, 1982. Texts by De la Mare, Browning, and Blake: Night (dur. 1′). S: SMIC.
ROSE, John (Luke), 1933-; UK
Blake’s Songs of Innocence; for soprano voice and piano. Ms., composed 1972. 46 p. A setting of the complete SI; “a new revised edition is in preparation”—JLR (1999). Biog: IWWM. English music educator and composer. S: pc.
ROUTH, Francis John, 1927-; UK
Scenes I, op. 36 (rev. ed.); for orchestra. London, Radcliffe, 1978. Dur. 35′. In five movements of which No. 5: To the Evening Star, appears to be a musical source for the choral work publ. 1980 under the same title (see BSM 1062). Biog: New Grove. S: BMIC.
ROVNER, Anton.; USA
The Tiger, op. 13, no. 1; for SATB chorus. Ms., composed 1986. Dur. 4′. S: AMC.
ROWLEY, Christopher Edward, b. 1840; UK
6 School Songs; in two books. London, Joseph Williams, 1899-1905. 2 vols. Bk. 1 incl. two Blake titles: 1. Little Lamb. 2. Laughing Song. Biog: Brown. Prominent Victorian organist and music educator. S: G&T.
RUSSO, William Joseph, 1928-; USA
Four Songs of Celebration; cantata for SSTBB soli, double chorus, and orchestra. New York, G. Schirmer, 1980. Composed 1971, rev. 1975. Incl. one Blake title: Spring. 1st perf. 21 Feb. 1973, Peabody Conserv. Music, Baltimore. Also pub. for four-part chorus of mixed and men’s voices, with piano and drum acc. Biog: NGDAM. S: pc.
SAINTE CROIX, Judith.; USA
The Sick Rose; duet for soprano and contra-bass. Ms., composed 1971. 4 p. Dur. 2′. 1st perf. 1974. S: NYWC.
BSM 1072: SANDERS, Ed, 1939-; USA
How Sweet I Roamed. A new version with singer Steve Taylor appears on the live reunion album Refuse to Be Burnt Out (The FUGS, 1984), and a third version on the album The Real Woodstock Festival (The FUGS, 1995), which also contains two new Blake pieces: 1. Auguries of Innocence, and 2. Nurse’s Song. S: pc.
BSM 1081: SAPP, Allen Dwight, 1922-; USA
The Little Boy Lost. This cantata includes other Blake texts besides the title poem: 1. Laughing Song. 2. The Little Boy Lost. 3. The Shepherd. 4. Spring. 5. The Lilly. 6. Epilog: The Rose Tree; interspersed with instrumental numbers. Awarded the Samuel Wechsler Award (Berkshire Music Center). Biog: NGDAM. S: Alan Green, AS (Greenwood Press, c1996), for reviews and performances.
*SCHIFFMAN, Harold.; USA
The Crystal Cabinet. Ms., composed 1959. 1st perf. Tallahassee, FL, 1959. S: G&T.
SCHNEIDER, Gary M., 1957-; USA
A Special Bouquet; three songs for SATB chorus. New York, American Composers Alliance, 1975. Texts by Jose Marti and Blake, of which No. 2 is The Sick Rose. Biog: IWWM. S: AMC.
SCHOONENBEEK, Kees, 1947-; NETHERLANDS
Hear the Voice of the Bard; for mixed choir and organ. Ms., composed 1989. Also a version for mixed choir and piano (1998). 54 p. Dur. 15′. S: Donemus.
SCHURMANN, Gerard, 1924-; JAVA/UK/USA
Nine Poems of Blake; a song cycle. Ms., composed 1955 (G&T gives 1956). Contents: 1. Ah! Sunflower. 2. Eternity. 3. The Fly. 4. I Laid me down upon a Bank. 5. Mad Song. 6. Morning. 7. Man’s Spectre (My Spectre around me night and day). 8. The Sick Rose. 9. To the Evening Star. “Written for Peter begin page 57 | ↑ back to top Pears and Benjamin Britten”—GS. Biog: Baker 20. Noted Hollywood film composer. S: G&T.
(SCHURMANN)
Six Songs of William Blake; for voice and piano. London, Novello, c1997. 23 p. Pub. no. 170365. Comm. by The Rawsthorne Trust. Contents: 1. Augury (To see a world). 2. Ah! Sun-flower. 3. I Laid me down upon a Bank. 4. Eternity. 5. The Sick Rose. 6. To the Evening Star. Date at end: Feb. 1997. Incl. three songs revised from the earlier cycle (above). S: copy.
SCOTT, Derek B., 1950-; UK
Songs of Innocence and Experience, op. 11; six Blake part-songs for SAATTB chorus. Beverley, Eng., Argus Music, c1988. 24 p. Composed 1981. Contents: 1-2. Two versions of The Chimney Sweep. 3-4. Two versions of Nurse’s Song. 5. The Echoing Green. 6. The Garden of Love. S: BMIC.
SCOTT, Stuart John, 1949-; UK
The Song of Los, op. 80; for solo clarinet. Lancaster, Eng., Phylloscopus Pbns.,[e] 1996. 5 p. Dur. 4′. “Inspired by and loosely following the ideas behind Blake’s poem”—SJS. Biog: IWWM. S: BMIC; pc.
(SCOTT, S.J.)
Songs of Innocence, op. 53; for mezzo-soprano and piano. Ms., composed 1977. 8 p. Dur. 5′. Contents: 1. Laughing Song. 2. A Cradle Song. S: BMIC.
(SCOTT, S.J.)
The Wild Flower’s Song, op. 77; for two-part female chorus (SS) and piano. Manchester, Eng., SJS Pbns., 1997. Dur. 1′30″. 1st perf. 5 Apr. 1997, by Meadway Singers, Joe Agnew cond., Manchester, UK. S: BMIC; pc.
BSM 1102: SEGERSTAM, Leif Selim, 1944-; FINLAND
Mad Song. Now (1991) also available for SATB chorus with piano and three percussion instruments. Dur. 22′. Score available from FMIC. Biog: Baker 20. S: FMIC.
(SEGERSTAM)
Spring; for children’s chorus and chamber ensemble of flute, viola, percussion, organ, and piano. Ms., composed 1980. 5 p. Score available from FMIC. S: FMIC.
SEKTBERG, Willard.; USA
A Fog Land. Boston, Boston Music Co., 1928. Blake text indicated. Biog: Professional pianist. S: G&T.
SELBY, Philip, 1948-; UK
Three Blake Fragments. Ms., composed 1979. Contents: 1. Are Not the Joys of Morning Sweeter. 2. Cradle Song. 3. Hear the Voice (Introd. to SE). Biog: IWWM. Guitarist and composer. S: G&T.
SEWELL, Gregg.; USA
Little Lamb; for unison chorus, optional two-part, optional flute, and piano. Dayton, OH, Triune Music/Lorenz, c1996. 7 p. (Young shepherds choral series, pub. no. 10/1444k). S: copy.
SHAFFER, Jeanne Ellison, 1925-; USA
Eternity; five songs for soprano voice and piano. Washington, DC, Arsis Press, c1994. Dur. ca. 7′. Composed 1992. Contents: 1. The Wild flower’s Song. 2. Soft Snow. 3. Infant Joy. 4. Infant Sorrow. 5. Eternity. An earlier version, arr. for small chamber group and high voice, less no.1 (above), is Eternity, op. 136 (1975), dur. 12′; recorded on a Musicians Collective CD, Apr. 1999. S: AMC; pc.
(SHAFFER)
Infant Joy; for SSAA chorus. Montgomery, Ala., Company Press, c1996. Comm. for the Women’s Music Festival at Indiana U of Pennsylvania. Tape available. Also arr., with Infant Sorrow, for TTBB chorus. S: AMC.
SMIRNOV, Dmitri, 1948-; RUSSIA
Abel (Blake’s Picture III), op. 65; for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. Ms., composed 1991. Dur. 14′. 1st perf. 24 June 1992, St. Magnus Cathedral, Orkney, by Chameleon. Boosey & Hawkes, London, are the English agents for this composer’s work. See also BSM 1143-54. Biog: Baker 20. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
The Angels of Albion, op. 64; for piano. Ms., composed 1991. Dur. 18′. 1st perf. (pieces from the cycle) Holywell Music Room, Oxford, with Susan Bradshaw. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
From Evening to Morning, op. 55; for mixed chorus a cappella. Ms., composed 1990. Dur. 12′. Contents: 1. To the Evening Star. 2. To Morning. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
Jacob’s Ladder (Blake’s Picture II), op. 58; for sixteen players. Ms., composed 1990. Dur. 14′. 1st perf. 17 Apr. 1991, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, London Sinfonietta, Gennady Rozhdestvensky[e] cond. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
The Lamb, op. 83; for counter tenor and six viols (two treble, two tenor, two bass). Ms., composed 1995. Dur. 6′. 1st perf. 2 May 1995, Purcell Room, London, with Michael Chance and Fretwork. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
Miss Gittipin’s Talk, op. 98; for solo soprano. Ms., composed 1997. Dur. 5′. A setting of a prose fragment from: An Island in the Moon. S: B&H.
begin page 58 | ↑ back to top(SMIRNOV)
Nine Pieces for Piano. Ms., composed 1967-79. Dur. 16′. No. 9 has the Blake title: The Crystal Cabinet. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
The River of Life (Blake’s Picture IV), op. 66; for sixteen players. Ms., composed 1992. Dur. 13′. 1st perf. 8 Nov. 1992, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, London Sinfonietta, Oliver Knussen cond. S: B&H.
(SMIRNOV)
Three Blake Songs, op. 61; for soprano and ensemble (cl,bcl,vla,vlc,db). Ms., composed 1991. Dur. 14′. Contents: 1. Silent, Silent Night. 2. The Tyger. 3. To See a World. 1st perf., no.1: 20 July 1991, Cheltenham Festival; nos. 2-3: 13 May 1992, Dartington, with Mary Wiegold, sop, and composer’s ensemble. S: B&H.
SMITH, Edith M.; UK
Two Songs. London, Weekes, 1893. fol. Contents: 1. How Sweet I Roved (Blake). 2. Ask Me No More Where Jove Bestows (Carew). G&T attributes this set to Lady Edith Euan Smith. S: BCM.
SPIES, Claudio, 1925-; CHILE/USA
Three Songs. Ms., composed 1945. Blake texts indicated. Biog: NGDAM; Baker. S: G&T.
*STEVENS, William.; USA
Four Love Songs and a Hate Song. Ms., composed 1971. Incl. Blake: Cradle Song. 1st perf. 23 Sep. 1974, U of Maryland. S: G&T.
STILES, Frank, 1924-; UK
The Piper; for SATB chorus and flute solo. Ms., composed 1977. Dur. 7′. Blake text: Introd. to SI. Comm. by Harmworth Choir, Elsie Bernard, cond., and 1st perf. Aug. 1977, at the Salisbury Festival (UK). Biog: IWWM. S: pc.
(STILES)
Love and Harmony; song for baritone and piano. Ms., composed 1979. Dur. 5′. Comm. by Kenneth Park; 1st perf. by Park and Nigel Morley at Sam Newsom Music Centre, Boston, Lincolnshire. S: pc.
STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz, 1928-; GERMANY
Texte der Momente; für Solosopran, 4 chorgruppen und 13 Instrumentalisten. Version 1972. Kursten, Ger., The Author, c1993. 32 p. Incl. Blake text (pp. 21-23): He who kisses the joy as it flies lives in Eternity’s sunrise (Eternity), sung by the solo soprano and two women’s choruses, in section called Mako. Biog: New Grove. S: copy.
SVANE, Randall, 1955-; USA
Songs of Innocence; for boys’ choir (SSA), mixed chorus, and orchestra. Ms., c1985. Dur. 20′. Contents: 1. Introd. 2. A Dream. 3. The Little Boy Lost. 4. The Ecchoing Green. 5. Infant Joy. S: AMC.
TAFFS, Anthony J., 1916-; USA
Five Blake Songs; for medium/high voice and piano. Ms., composed 1960. 18 p. Contents: 1. Piping Down the Valleys Wild (2′20). 2. Ah, Sunflower (2′35). 3. Love’s Secret (2′). 4. Night (5′30). 5. The Fly (1′20). Recorded Summer 1997 on the CD album Never Seek to Tell Thy Love; songs of Joseph Marx and Anthony Taffs (Albion, 1998), with soprano Maureen Balke and pianist Narciso Solero. Biog: Prof. Music emeritus, Albion College, Michigan. S: copy.
(TAFFS)
The Lamb; for two-part junior choir and piano. Ms., n.d. 2 p. S: copy.
TATE, Phyllis, 1911-1987.; UK
Beauty Bright; for unison chorus/solo voice and piano. Wendover, Eng., Roberton, 1980. Dur. 2′. Composed 1980. Dedicated to L.I.F.E. (anti-abortion). See also BSM 1230-1233. S: Poulton.
TAVENER, John Kenneth, 1944-; UK
Eternity’s Sunrise; for solo soprano with baroque orchestra. London, Chester Music, 1998. Composed 1997. Dur. 10′. Blake text: To see a world in a grain of sand . . . (Auguries of Innocence). Comm. Academy of Ancient Music; 1st perf. 1 July 1998, St. Andrew’s, Holborn, City of London Festival, AAM, Paul Goodwin cond., Patricia Rozario, sop. No. 1 of CD recording: Eternity’s Sunrise (Harmonia Mundi 907231). See also BSM 1235. Biog: Baker 20. S: pub.
(TAVENER)
The Tyger; for SSSSSAATTTBBB chorus. London, Chester Music, n.d. 12 p. Pub. no. CH55906. Composed 1987. Comm. Philip Brunelle; 1st perf. 5 Mar. 1989, Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis. S: BMIC; pub.
TEPPER, Albert, 1921-; USA
Songs: Of Innocence—Of Experience; for chorus, soloists, and chamber ensemble. Ms., composed 1968. Contents: Of Innocence: The Piper. The Lamb. Infant Joy. Holy Thursday. Of Experience: The Bard. The Tyger. Infant Sorrow. Holy Thursday. 1st perfs. 24, 26-27 April 1968, with Adelphi Dance Theatre, Garden City, NJ, choreography by Harry Bernstein. Also often presented as Meditations on Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, a piano solo score (dur. 16′), each part preceded by a reading of the poem involved. Biog: ASCAP. Prof. Music emeritus, Hofstra U. S: program; pc.
THOMAS, Christopher Joseph, 1894-; UK/USA
All the Hills Echoed. Cincinnati, Willis, 1949. Blake text: begin page 59 | ↑ back to top Nurse’s Song (SI). Biog: ASCAP (1966). See also BSM 1250-54. S: G&T.
THOW, John, 1949-; USA
When You Were Born; five songs for soprano, flute, cello, and harp. Ms., composed 1987. 35 p. Blake texts for nos. 1: Infant Joy and 5: Nurse’s Song (SI). 1st perf. San Francisco, 12 Dec. 1989, by the Earplay Ensemble, with soprano Sarah Ganz, Jonathan Khuner cond.; also at Juilliard, 12 Nov. 1991, with soprano Barbara Ann Martin, Paul Lustig Dunkel cond. Biog: Prof. Music, UC Berkeley. S: pc.
TIPTON, Clyde.; USA
Songs of Innocence; for SSA chorus a cappella. Corvallis, OR, Earthsongs, c1993. 6 p. (Saint Mary’s College Choral series). Contents: 1. Little Lamb. 2. Spring (Sound the flute). 3. The Shepherd. 4. Nurse’s Song (SI). 5. Laughing Song. Five one-page settings with frequent divisi and some solos. Biog: Prof. Music, Georgia State U, Milledgeville. S: copy.
TREHARNE, Bryceson, 1879-1948.; UK/USA
Prepare! Prepare! New York, Composer’s Music Corp., 1921. Blake text: A War Song for Englishmen. Biog: Baker. See also BSM 1269. S: G&T.
TREMAIN, Ronald, 1923-1998.; CANADA
Four Blake Songs; for soprano and cello. Ms., composed 1988. 15 p. Dur. 8′. Available from CMC. Contents: 1. Ah! Sunflower. 2. The Sick Rose. 3. A Divine Image. 4. Mock On! See also BSM 1270-71. S: CMC.
USHER, Julia, 1945-; UK
Due Canti; for tenor and ensemble. Ms., composed 1970. Incl. a setting of Blake’s Eternity (He who bends to himself a joy). Biog: NGDWC. S: G&T.
(USHER)
A Grain of Sand in Lambeth; for SATB chorus and orchestra, with sound sculptures by Derek Shiel. Ms., composed 1986. 244 p. Dur. 90′. Score available from Primavera Press, Colchester, Eng. Comm. by the Blake Society for the William Blake Festival, and 1st perf. 3 June 1987, St. James, Piccadilly, with the St. James Singers and the London Brass, Ivor Bolton cond. Text, in sixteen movements, combines passages from SI, SE, MHH, Four Zoas, Notebook, Milton, and Jerusalem. S: BMIC; pc.
(USHER)
Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love; for trumpet, clarinet, and strings. Ms., composed 1998. Dur. 6′30″. “Computer-orchestrated version” of material from A Grain of Sand. S: pc.
VEHAR, Persis Parshall, 1937-; USA
Reflections from Childhood; for SATB chorus. Ms., c1985. 10 p. Dur. 3′. 1st perf. 11 May 1987. A retitled version of BSM 1292, removing a Rossetti setting which was part of that work. Blake text: When the voices of children are heard on the green (Nurse’s Song). S: AMC; pc.
VERBUGT, Eric, 1966-; NETHERLANDS
Drempel; for flute, percussion, cello, baritone, piano, and bass clarinet. Ms., composed 1995. 58 p. Dur. 15′. Drempel=threshold. Blake text: You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough. Exuberance is beauty, enough! or too much. S: Donemus.
VICKERS, Bryan, 1937-; UK
Blake Songs; for voice and piano. Ms., n.d. Contents: 1. Holy Thursday. 2. The Lamb. 3. Divine Image. 4. Vagabond. S: BMIC.
VICTORY, Gerard, 1921-1995.; IRELAND
The Evening Star; for tenor solo, SATB voices, and orchestra. Ms., n.d. Texts by Blake and Browning. See also BSM 1294-96. Biog: Baker 20. S: IMIC.
(VICTORY)
The Tyger; for SSAA chorus. Ms., composed 1988. Dur. 4′. S: IMIC.
VOLLRATH, Carl P., 1931-; USA
Five Short Songs by William Blake; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1963. 10 p. Dur. ca. 8′. Contents: 1. The Angel. 2. Eternity. 3. The Fly. 4. The Sick Rose. 5. The Wild Flower’s Song. 1st perf. 1963, U of Florida, Gainesville. Biog: Prof. Music, Troy State U (Alabama). S: G&T.
(VOLLRATH)
Songs of Experience; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1966. 20 p. Dur. 12′. Contents: 1. Ah! Sunflower. 2. The Garden of Love. 3. The Little Vagabond. 4. My Pretty Rose Tree. 5. The School Boy. 6. The Shepherd. 1st perf. 1966, Troy State U. S: G&T.
(VOLLRATH)
Songs of Innocence; for voice and piano. Ms., composed 1960-61. 20 p. Dur. 12′. Contents: 1. The Ecchoing Green. 2. The Lamb. 3. Nurse’s Song. 1st perf. 1961, Florida State U. All available from Troy State U Library. S: G&T.
WALL, Ruth.; UK
On a Cloud; for SSATBB voices. Ms., composed 1994. Blake text indicated. 1st perf. 26 Feb. 1994., London Sinfonietta Voices, SPNM Regional Day, Cardiff. Score withdrawn by composer. S: BMIC.
WEBB, Peter, 1948-; AUSTRALIA
Five Blake Songs; for SATB choir and piano. Ms., composed begin page 60 | ↑ back to top 1988. 41 p. Dur. 18′. Contents: 1. The Piper. 2. The Lamb. 3. A Poison Tree. 4. A Divine Image. 5. The Tiger. Arr. for chorus and orchestra (101 p.) and 1st perf. 29 Nov. 1994, Adelaide Harmony Choir and Unley Chamber Orchestra, composer cond. No. 5: The Tiger separately arr. for SSA choir and piano (17 p.). Biog: IWWM. S: AusMC.
WEIDIG, Adolf, 1867-1931.; USA
Mother Sings. Chicago, H.T. FitzSimons, 1931. Blake text: A Cradle Song. Biog: Baker. Prominent Chicago music educator. S: G&T.
WERDER, Felix, 1922-; AUSTRALIA
Blake’s Songs of Innocence; for piano. Ms., composed 1985. 7 p. “For Trevor Barnard,” and recorded by Barnard for the ABC in 1986. Contents: 1. The Sick Rose. 2. Spring. 3. Introduction (Piping down the valleys wild). Biog: Baker 20. See also BSM 1314. S: AusMC.
(WERDER)
Holy Thursday. Ms., composed 1978. “Inspired by Blake’s poem (from SI).” 1st perf. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne; recording issued on Move Records (MS 3025.1979). S: G&T.
WHITCOMB, Robert Butler, 1921-; USA
Three Songs for Soprano. Ms., composed 1955. Incl. Blake: The Lamb. Biog: IWWM. S: G&T.
WHITE, John David, 1931-; USA
Thel Fantasy for Piano. Ms., n.d. Perf. 26 Nov. 1957 at Kent State U. See also BSM 1337-42. S: GEB.
WIENHORST, Richard.; USA
Songs of Innocence; for SA chorus and piano. Boston, ECS Publishing, c1991. 26 p. Pub. cat no. 4650. Contents: 1. Introduction: Piping down the valleys wild. 2. The Shepherd. 3. Spring: Sound the flute. Biog: Prof. Music, Valparaiso U; composer of the Frank Lloyd Wright opera, Shining Brow. S: pub.
(WIENHORST)
Two Blake Settings; for unison treble chorus and harp (or piano). Boston, Ione Press/ECS, c1992. 2 nos. (8, 11 p.). Available separately. Composed 1988. Contents: 1. Soft Snow (cat. no. 4652). 2. The Lamb (cat. no. 4653). Comm. for Sammy Cowen by the Children’s Chorus of Victoria, TX. S: copies.
WILDER, Alec, 1907-1980.; USA
Lullabies and Night Songs; a collection of children’s poems set to music. Music by Alec Wilder, pictures by Maurice Sendak, ed. William Engvick. New York, Harper, 1965. Includes one Blake poem: Cradle Song (Sleep, sleep, beauty bright). Recorded by Jan De Gaetani, sop, orchestrated and conducted by Rayburn Wright (Caedmon TC-1777). Rev: Music Journal 24 (Feb. 1966): 95. Biog: Baker 20. S: copy.
(WILDER)
Never Seek to Tell Thy Love (Songbook B); song for voice and piano. Ms., n.d. Dur. 1′15″. Perf. 13 Feb. 1988, Weill Recital Hall, NY, in the “Fourth Annual Birthday Concert” of the Friends of Alec Wilder. S: David Dempsey and Ronald Prather,[e] AW (Greenwood Press, c1993).
WILLIAMS, Christopher a Becket, 1890-1956.; UK
Cupid’s Song; for voice and piano, in D. London, Curwen, 1924. 1st line: Why was Cupid a boy. Biog: WWM (1949/50). S: CPM.
*WILLIAMS, Dorothy.
The Little Black Boy. Ms., composed 1963. S: G&T.
WILLIAMSON, Malcolm, CBE, 1931-; AUSTRALIA/UK
The Fly. Ms., composed 1957. 1st perf. 21 June 1957, Aldeburgh Festival Blake Bicentenary Competition. Biog: New Grove. S: G&T.
WILLIS, Richard M., 1929-; USA
The Sick Rose. Wichita, Hoffman, 1972. Biog: ASCAP. See also BSM 1371. S: G&T.
WILSON, Jeffery, 1957-; UK
The Lamb; for SATB chorus and organ. Ms., composed 1982. Combines the Blake poem with the liturgical Agnus Dei. S: BMIC.
*WILSON, Ray R.
Night. Ms., composed 1946. S: G&T.
WOBBLE, Jah (John Warde).; UK
The Inspiration of William Blake (CD album). Thirsty Ear Recordings, 1997. Blake titles in the album: 1. Songs of Innocence. 2. Tyger, Tyger. 3. Holy Thursday. 4. The Angel. 5. Auguries of Innocence. Biog: Larkin. English bass player and crossover artist. S: pc.
WOLPE, Stefan, 1902-1972.; USA
The Angel; for medium voice and piano. Ms., composed 1959. Dur. 1′. Biog: NGDAM. S: AMC.
WORDSWORTH, William Brocklesby, 1908-1988.; SCOTLAND
The Minstrel’s Song; for tenor and harp. Ms., composed 1950. 5 p. Blake text beginning: Their mighty wings shall stretch from east to west, their rest is in the sea, and ending: With her eagle’s wings she covereth Fair Albion’s shore and all her families. Biog: Grove. See also BSM 1392-95. S: SMIC.
begin page 61 | ↑ back to topYOUNG, Douglas, 1947-; UK
Journey Between Two Worlds; for chorus, rock group, steel band, and orchestra. Ms., composed 1979. Text incl. Blake: The Divine Image. 1st perf. 3 Apr. 1979, de Montfort Hall, Leicester. Biog: Baker 20. S: G&T.
(YOUNG)
A Little Child Lost and Found. Ms., composed 1979. Blake texts: 1. A Little Girl Lost. 2. The Little Girl Found. 1st perf. Autumn 1979. S: G&T.
(YOUNG)
Natural Histories. Ms., composed 1976-79. Blake texts: 1. To See a World in a Grain of Sand. 2. For the Sexes (frontispiece: What is Man!). 1st perf. Wales, Autumn 1979. S: G&T.