The mystic reflection of human experience in the natural world is one of poet Walt Whitman’s favourite ideas. It lies at the heart of this cycle of five songs for baritone and piano:
1. The Mystic Trumpeter
2. As Adam
3. We too, how long we were fooled
4. When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed
5. Joy, shipmate, joy
The musical settings echo Whitman’s intensity, passion and questing spirit. Common musical ideas link different movements, giving the vigorous final song a sense of resolution and release. Individual songs can also be performed alone. Both vocal and piano parts are reasonably demanding in some songs but other songs, such as ‘When lilacs’ are accessible to most levels of ability.
The cycle was first performed in St Nicolas, Chiswick in 2011 by the dedicatee (and now actor) Alex Knox, who was a vocal student of Martin Bussey at Manchester University. The songs have since been performed at various venues including at Ludlow English Song Weekend and St Endellion Festival. They will be recorded by Marcus Farnsworth, baritone and Libby Burgess, piano in February 2024, for release on the Resonus Classics label.
All five songs are available in performances with a scrolling score on Martin Bussey’s YouTube channel in performances by Peter Edge with the composer at the piano:
- ISMN: 9790570683901 (M570683901)
