Two Sonnets

In returning to consider the brevity of life – a subject which continually inspired his creativity – Finzi employs chamber orchestra forces to match those of Farewell to Arms. The songs, in the composer’s words, "come off better in performance than they look as if they would". Indeed, the instrumental textures here are often thinner, but Finzi’s melodic and harmonic hallmarks shine out as clearly as ever in this intuitive musical response to Milton’s verse.