Despite early signs of mental instability in 1913, Gurney's wartime experiences fueled a remarkably productive period of song composition between 1919 and 1921.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Gurney's unique talent as a poet allowed him to adapt each vocal line to the natural idiosyncrasies of ordinary speech in his songs.
Composer Biography
Gurney's teacher, Stanford, considered him to be the pupil who "most fulfilled the accepted ideas of genius."
Performer Biography
Susan Bickley, the mezzo-soprano on this recording, is known for her versatility, performing in opera and concert with a wide repertoire from Baroque to contemporary music.
Historical Context
Gurney served as a signaller with the Gloucestershire Regiment on the Somme and at Neuve Chapelle, and as a machine-gunner near Passchendaele, before being wounded and gassed in 1917.
Performer Biography
Iain Burnside, the pianist, is also a Sony-Award-winning radio presenter and is noted for his eclectic repertoire and expertise in English Song.
Composer Biography
Ivor Gurney, the composer, was a poet as well as a composer and a prolific letter writer during his service in the First World War trenches.
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