Sleep - Ivor Gurney/John Fletcher
Ivor Gurney (1890-1937) was one of those young Englishmen whose life and work was shaped ruthlessly by their experiences in the First World War. (Ed. This is bit of a misconception on my part - please have a look at the comment by Pamela Blevins) Acknowledged as one of the "War Poets" alongside Brooke, Owen, Sassoon, Graves et al he also had a musical upbringing and pound for pound in my opinion is the greatest of the English "art song" composers. He was poorly served by society and the medical profession, spending the most part of his life unnecessarily in mental institutions. His story is told in a fine book "The Ordeal of Ivor Gurney" by Michael Hurd, though now out of print. There is an interesting article here
What is an Art Song? Basically it is poetry set to music and this is what distinguishes it from other song types where lyrics and music are created to serve each other. In German it would be called Lieder. To be a great song composer is not a gift given to everyone with musical talent, even the greatest. It is a particular talent. The composer must understand or at least have a personal reaction to the words and must try and convey it in the music. There are no definitives here.
In Music for Sunday 8th March last week we heard the poem "Sleep" by the Elizabethan John Fletcher set by Gurney in what is one of his best known works. Here are the words
Lock me in delight awhile;
Let some pleasing dream beguile
All my fancies; that from thence
I may feel an influence
All my powers of care bereaving!
Though but a shadow, but a sliding,
Let me know some little joy!
We that suffer long annoy
Are contented with a thought
Through an idle fancy wrought:
O let my joys have some abiding
O let my joys have some abiding.
Although short, I find this poem difficult, or at least a little ambiguous. The first verse is easy enough, it praises and looks forward to the restorative powers of sleep ("..that knits up the ravel'd sleeve of care etc.."). The second verse is either pessimistic about this, or it is talking about something else altogether. Why "O let my joys have some abiding"? Does it mean that we do not really want to awake, and does it therefore involve other metaphors? Maybe it's more simple than that.
In any case Gurney obviously felt the difference in emotion between the two verses. In the music, the first one echoes beautifully the comfort and relapse into sleep. Listen to the piano caressing the phrase "Let some pleasing dream beguile All my fancies". The second ends on a different note The last phrase is repeated, first pleading, and then acknowledging frustration or resignation maybe that our joys will not have any abiding.
And now, as they say, for something completely different. I've been thinking quite a bit about my teenage and university years recently, so this week's piece is a headlong plunge back into that formative period of pimples, angst and loud music.
Try this:
Care-charming Sleep
Care-charming Sleep, thou easer of all woes,
Brother to Death, sweetly thyself dispose
On this afflicted prince; fall like a cloud
In gentle showers; give nothing that is loud
Or painful to his slumbers; easy, sweet,
And as a purling stream, thou son of Night,
Pass by his troubled senses; sing his pain,
Like hollow murmuring wind or silver rain;
Into this prince gently, oh gently slide,
And kiss him into slumbers like a bride.
John Fletcher
The Elizabethan poetry that I was given to digest earlier in life was largely concerned either with religion or the other subject you mention, but that tended to be of the overt "smacking the maid's bottom" variety whose meaning you could hardly miss. This poem is certainly concerned with the senses, but I don't think it's mean to be sensual.
I think you'll struggle with a Swiss connection, though. I've just spotted a reference to "the naked Alps" in a passage by Dryden in my anthology, but it's a translation from Virgil. I'll keep you posted if I find any more.
Seriously though - I listened to an old edition of Belvin Bragg's "In Our Time" recently about the Metaphysical Poets, and although I don't even know where to start, it tweaked my interest.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inou...
The Good-Morrow
I wonder by my troth, what thou, and I
Did, till we lov'd? Were we not wean'd till then?
But suck'd on countrey pleasures, childishly?
Or snorted we in the seaven sleepers den?
T'was so; But this, all pleasures fancies bee.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desir'd, and got, 'twas but a dreame of thee.
And now good morrow to our waking soules,
Which watch not one another out of feare;
For love, all love of other sights controules,
And makes one little roome, an every where.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let Maps to other, worlds on worlds have showne,
Let us possesse one world; each hath one, and is one.
My face in thine eye, thine in mine appeares,
And true plaine hearts doe in the faces rest,
Where can we finde two better hemispheares
Without sharpe North, without declining West?
What ever dyes, was not mixed equally;
If our two loves be one, or, thou and I
Love so alike, that none doe slacken, none can die.
This is Fleetwood Mac!
La voix... Le chanteur doit faire la note. Au piano, la note est faite. Il en est de même d'un cuivre : l'instrumentiste chante la note et s'il n'a pas l'oreille juste, la note ne le sera pas non plus.
Il est très difficile pour un pianiste d'accompagner dans un concerto. Le pianiste se doit de se mettre au service de l'instrumentiste qu'il accompagne, il doit mettre en valeur en s'effaçant.
But to make a direct comparison of this song. First of all it does have more of the lullaby about it - it is even and flowing, but by the same token it doesn't go anywhere. I also don't think Warlock makes enough of the distinction that I feel between the first and second verses - although that could just be my problem. Gurney does. It's a bit boring though, like those speakers with the droning voice, and the piano accompaniment clatters and obtrudes too much, sounding a bit like Updikes organist "rummaging through a Bach prelude" in the background.
Maybe a bit more Elizabethan, but I'm not sure that is valid here. And if I want to listen to real Elizabethan then Dowland's "Flow my Tears" with Alfred Deller woud be my choice.
I'm not sure how much Gurney you have listened to - sounds like you are quite familiar. If not I can recommend the old Benjamin Luxon recording I used here (oops!) which also has a nice recording of "A Shropshire Lad". But listen to Gurneys settings of "Skiddaw Yewes", "Hawk and Buckle", "Up on the Downs", "Down by the Salley Gardens" and "Severn Meadows" (to name only five) to get what I feel is his versatility in putting his talents at the service of the words rather than his own art.
Anyway, I'm pushing off to sea again......
Great site!!!!! Sleep is very important. It helps your body repair its self for the next day. Sleep, the right diet, execise and water is necessary good health and well-being. Being a cancer survior my health is my greatest asset and more precious than anything.
Thank you, Pam Blevins