Roderick Williams, the baritone on this album, is also a composer whose works have been premiered at notable venues and broadcast on national radio.
Performer Biography
James Gilchrist, the tenor on this album, began his career as a doctor before becoming a full-time musician in 1996.
Historical Context
The creation of the English Lyrics coincided with a period of cultural reevaluation in Britain, driven by a desire to challenge German cultural dominance following events like German Unification and the Franco-Prussian War.
Composition History
Sir Hubert Parry's twelve sets of English Lyrics were composed over a long period, from around 1874 until his death in 1918, with the last two sets compiled posthumously.
Compositional Technique
Parry initially set some of Shakespeare's sonnets in Friedrich Bodenstedt's German translation, alongside the English text, to appeal to the German market.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Parry's English Lyrics were an artistic manifesto asserting English as a language suitable for musical creativity, distinct from German lieder and French mélodie.
Composition History
Parry dedicated his Four Sonnets of Shakespeare to his amateur singing friend and former Oxford colleague, Hugh Montgomery, with whom he often accompanied German lieder.
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