Finzi: Intimations of Immortality; Dies Natalis

Track Listings

1. I. Intrada

2. II. Rhapsody (Recitativo stromentato)

3. III. The Rapture (Danza)

4. IV. Wonder (Arioso)

5. V. The Salutation (Aria)

6. Andante sostenuto

7. There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream

8. Rainbow Comes and Goes, The

9. Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song

10. Ye blessèd Creatures, I have heard the call

11. Oh evil day! if I were sullen

12. But there's a Tree, of many, one

13. Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting

14. Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own

15. O joy! that in our embers

16. But for those first affections

17. Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song!

18. And O, ye Fountains, Meadows, Hills and Groves

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Wordsworth's "Intimations of Immortality" is said to be one of the great masterpieces of English poetry. Finzi's setting of it has been criticized in the UK as being inappropriate due to the "fact" that "great poetry requires no musical setting." And so, by the same argument, composers should only use less-than-great texts. Now of course many of them do just that, particularly opera composers, but the truth is that when words meet music, it's the music that matters, and Finzi's is wonderful music indeed. Granted he was only a "minor master," but in the careful setting of words his talent was pretty impressive, as this lovely disc so eloquently demonstrates. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

I. Intrada
II. Rhapsody (Recitativo stromentato)
III. The Rapture (Danza)
IV. Wonder (Arioso)
V. The Salutation (Aria)
Andante sostenuto
There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream
Rainbow Comes and Goes, The
Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song
Ye blessCreatures, I have heard the call
Oh evil day! if I were sullen
But there's a Tree, of many, one
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting
Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own
O joy! that in our embers
But for those first affections
Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song!
And O, ye Fountains, Meadows, Hills and Groves

Amazon.com

Wordsworth's "Intimations of Immortality" is said to be one of the great masterpieces of English poetry. Finzi's setting of it has been criticized in the UK as being inappropriate due to the "fact" that "great poetry requires no musical setting." And so, by the same argument, composers should only use less-than-great texts. Now of course many of them do just that, particularly opera composers, but the truth is that when words meet music, it's the music that matters, and Finzi's is wonderful music indeed. Granted he was only a "minor master," but in the careful setting of words his talent was pretty impressive, as this lovely disc so eloquently demonstrates. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Light Fare, similar to Contemporary Stage Music.......2007-03-03

As I search music catalogues for new things, I discovered this release of Gerald Finzi's 'Dies Natalis' and 'Intimations of Immortality', with some pretty well known performers, lead by John Mark Ainsley. I primarily address this review to similar searchers for unusual music. My overall impression is that these two works are cut from the same cloth as much of 20th Century theatre music, and that while it is 'prettier' than Gershwin or Weill, it is not as robust. There is nothing here which grabs one, in the same way that you are moved by pieces such as 'Summertime'(Gershwin) and 'Mahagoney'(Weill).

I am happy to have heard these pieces, and I believe the earlier reviewer who praises the performance. It's just that these are relatively lightweight pieces.

Fabulous music for my ears.......1999-03-29

This CD, along with the piece itself, is wonderfully composed by Gerald Finzi (I am a little partial to it because I played it with the UC Santa Cruz orchestra just recently) The choral arrangements prove to be enticing while singing in English.

Finzi: Intimations of Immortality/ Dies Natalis

Average customer rating:

Finzi: Intimations of Immortality/ Dies Natalis
G. Finzi
Manufacturer: Hyperion (UK)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IEFJ
Release Date: 1996-11-12

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His Best

1. I. Intrada
2. II. Rhapsody (Recitativo stromentato)
3. III. The Rapture (Danza)
4. IV. Wonder (Arioso)
5. V. The Salutation (Aria)
6. Andante sostenuto
7. There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream
8. Rainbow Comes and Goes, The
9. Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song
10. Ye blessèd Creatures, I have heard the call
11. Oh evil day! if I were sullen
12. But there's a Tree, of many, one
13. Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting
14. Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own
15. O joy! that in our embers
16. But for those first affections
17. Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song!
18. And O, ye Fountains, Meadows, Hills and Groves