Elgar: Sea Slumber Song - Sea Pictures

Sir Edward William Elgar 1857 –1934. An English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos for violin and cello, and two symphonies. He also composed choral works, including The Dream of Gerontius, chamber music and songs. He was appointed Master of the King's Musick in 1924.

Sea Pictures, Op. 37 is a song cycle by Sir Edward Elgar consisting of five songs written by various poets. It was set for contralto and orchestra, though a distinct version for piano was often performed by Elgar. Many mezzo-sopranos have sung the piece.

The songs are

"Sea Slumber Song" by Roden Noel (approximately 4 minutes)
"In Haven (Capri)" by Caroline Alice Elgar, the composer's wife (under 2 minutes)
"Sabbath Morning at Sea" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (approximately 4 minutes)
"Where Corals Lie" by Richard Garnett (approximately 3 minutes)
"The Swimmer" by Adam Lindsay Gordon (approximately 5 minutes)
Much of the vocal line of the first song, "Sea Slumber Song", is heard again in other parts of the cycle; most notably, the second stanza is heard again almost in its entirety as part of the finale.

On this video:
Delius would have been approved of enchanting orchestral elements occurring in this song. The closeness to certain Delian elements in Elgar's music is certainly evident here. Delius' 'Sea Drift' comes to mind as a comparison in 1903, four years after Sea Pictures was first performed by Clara Butt, the performance was subsequently repeated at St. James Hall and then at Balmoral before Queen Victoria.

Album info:-
Elgar
Sea Slumber Song (band 1)
Sea Pictures.
Contralto - Gladys Ripley.
The London Symphony Orchestra - George Weldon.
MFP 2093
From vinyl

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