Finzi, Gerald: Intimations of Immortality op. 29 (late 1930s,1949-50) 43'
Ode for tenor solo, chorus, and orchestra
Music Text
William Wordsworth (E)
Scoring
3(II=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.2.dbn-4.3.3.1- timp.perc(2):xyl/cyms/tgl/cast/tpl.bl/BD/SD/tamb/TD-harp-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.
Repertoire Note
This is the most extended of Finzi’s choral works, composed in one continuous musical movement of truly symphonic proportions. Perhaps of all the choral works, Intimations shows his word-setting at its most expressive and poignant, demonstrating his personal and individual affinity with the poet Wordsworth, and his resourcefulness in finding imaginative ways to set poetry which many had regarded as unsettable because of its classic status. The variety of moods ranges widely, from the pastoral lyricism of the opening, through the intimate Delius-like The rainbow comes and goes, to the jazzy and extrovert depiction of birdsong which is close in idiom to Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast or Lambert’s Rio Grande. The work would provide a substantial second half to a programme for choral societies, and is enjoyable and rewarding to rehearse, but is not without its demands on the chorus in terms of stamina and expressive flexibility. The solo tenor part has been performed and recorded by leading tenors including Philip Langridge, Martyn Hill and John Mark Ainsley.
Recommended Recording
Philip Langridge/Liverpool Philharmonic Choir/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Richard Hickox
EMI CDM 764 720-2
Ode for tenor solo, chorus, and orchestra
Music Text
William Wordsworth (E)
Scoring
3(II=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.2.dbn-4.3.3.1- timp.perc(2):xyl/cyms/tgl/cast/tpl.bl/BD/SD/tamb/TD-harp-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.
Repertoire Note
This is the most extended of Finzi’s choral works, composed in one continuous musical movement of truly symphonic proportions. Perhaps of all the choral works, Intimations shows his word-setting at its most expressive and poignant, demonstrating his personal and individual affinity with the poet Wordsworth, and his resourcefulness in finding imaginative ways to set poetry which many had regarded as unsettable because of its classic status. The variety of moods ranges widely, from the pastoral lyricism of the opening, through the intimate Delius-like The rainbow comes and goes, to the jazzy and extrovert depiction of birdsong which is close in idiom to Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast or Lambert’s Rio Grande. The work would provide a substantial second half to a programme for choral societies, and is enjoyable and rewarding to rehearse, but is not without its demands on the chorus in terms of stamina and expressive flexibility. The solo tenor part has been performed and recorded by leading tenors including Philip Langridge, Martyn Hill and John Mark Ainsley.
Recommended Recording
Philip Langridge/Liverpool Philharmonic Choir/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Richard Hickox
EMI CDM 764 720-2
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MAXWELL DAVIES 2014
Explore the music of Peter Maxwell Davies in preparation for his 80th birthday in 2014, with audio clips and information on key works.
EXPLORE MAX