This Wing'd Hour, Song cycles by Vaughan Williams, Britten & Finzi

The four composers on this CD, though they each have their own individuality, nevertheless have a lot more in common than the period in which they wrote these song cycles, the first half of the 20th century. Most noticeable, perhaps, is their Englishness. Naturally this is not as evident in their instrumental music (although there is some justification in affirming the Englishness of all of Vaughan Williams’s music). But it is obvious in their vocal music, and it is so striking in their song writing that their songs (including the ones on this CD) have had a hard time getting known outside English speaking countries. Appreciating them depends to a considerable extent on familiarity with the English language, which these four composers set with great sensitivity. In the case of the first three, this sensitivity must owe something—or perhaps a great deal—to their thorough knowledge and great love of the English folk song. However, these song cycles are definitely art songs, set to sophisticated poetry, and though their vocal lines are idiomatic, many are quite demanding.