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→Recordings: Interesting, but doubt this is the place for the mentioning it, though it is among the works of Uuvo Klami.
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* Roderick Williams, [[BBC Concert Orchestra]], [[Martin Yates]] (2010) Dutton Epoch CDLX7243
* Roderick Williams, [[BBC Concert Orchestra]], [[Martin Yates]] (2010) Dutton Epoch CDLX7243
* Catherine Wyn-Rogers, [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]], Sir [[Andrew Davis (conductor)|Andrew Davis]]. (2003, recorded on 30 July 2003 in the [[Royal Albert Hall]], London, as part of the [[The Proms|BBC Proms]]), CD title is not that clear but the CD includes [[William Walton|Walton]] ''Coronation Te Deum'', [[Edward Elgar|Elgar]] ''Sea Pictures'', [[Arnold Bax|Bax]] ''[[November Woods]]'', [[Benjamin Britten|Britten]] ''The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'' Warner Classics 2564 61550-2
* Catherine Wyn-Rogers, [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]], Sir [[Andrew Davis (conductor)|Andrew Davis]]. (2003, recorded on 30 July 2003 in the [[Royal Albert Hall]], London, as part of the [[The Proms|BBC Proms]]), CD title is not that clear but the CD includes [[William Walton|Walton]] ''Coronation Te Deum'', [[Edward Elgar|Elgar]] ''Sea Pictures'', [[Arnold Bax|Bax]] ''[[November Woods]]'', [[Benjamin Britten|Britten]] ''The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'' Warner Classics 2564 61550-2

(Note: there is also a distinct work ''Merikuvia'' by the Finnish composer [[Uuno Klami]]. ''Merikuvia'' is usually translated into English as ''Sea Pictures''.)


== Notes ==
== Notes ==

Revision as of 21:43, 7 July 2017

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:[1]

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.

History

Elgar composed the piece on his 1894 Broadwood Square piano while residing at Birchwood Lodge, Great Storridge in Herefordshire. The songs were originally written in high keys for a soprano voice, but transposed to lower keys for the orchestral version, largely at the request of the contralto Clara Butt.[citation needed] The songs were composed in July 1899 (apart from "In Haven (Capri)", which was a reworking of his 1897 "Love alone will stay").[2]

The premiere was on 5 October 1899 at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival with Elgar himself conducting and Clara Butt singing, dressed as a mermaid.[2] On 7 October, Clara Butt gave the first London performance at St. James's Hall, with Elgar at the piano. Nearly two weeks later, on 20 October, Butt performed it for Queen Victoria at Balmoral.

Until August 1900, Elgar's songs had been published by Novello: but Elgar had a disagreement with them, and from then his songs, including "The Pipes of Pan" and Sea Pictures were published by Boosey & Hawkes, who bought the copyright for £50, with a small royalty per copy of the songs published separately.

Sea Pictures was published in the following languages:

  • German: See-Bilder with words by Dr. Wilhelm Henzen
  • French: Marines with words by George Petilleau.

Recordings

Notes

  1. ^ Kennedy, p.344–345
  2. ^ a b Kennedy, p.101
  3. ^ Kennedy, p.366

References

  • Kennedy, Michael (1987). Portrait of Elgar (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-284017-7.

Further reading

  • Elgar, Edward Sea Pictures: A Cycle of Five Songs for Contralto with German translation by Dr. Wilhelm Henzen and French words by George Petilleau Boosey & Hawkes Ltd. (Sheet music with libretti)
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