PURPOSE      

The purpose of this website is to offer assistance to individuals seeking information about Gerald Finzi’s songs. The information herein should be helpful to performers, instructors and those performing research on these songs. Finzi’s songs have steadily grown in popularity in the last several decades and possibly because of this attention several texts are now available with extended biographical material and critical assessment of his music. This guide makes no attempt to compete with these sources but instead offers the reader an aid to locating information. The author realizes that individuals often have little time to do research and therefore the purpose of this guide was to gather information and organize it in a streamlined manner in which a person could quickly find the information that they need.

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NEED       

The construction of this web site was undertaken to offer readers information about Gerald Finzi's songs. Presently, there is not a web site that offers this information, therefore, this web site was created. Additionally, it was found during the research phase of this project that there are many resources available today for those seeking information on Finzi’s songs but there is not a current guide to this information. Therefore, this web site seeks to fill that void of information either directly from this site or to be pointed to an outside resource.  It is not the intention to compete with other sites or printed resources that may offer similar information but instead to simply make readers aware of those resources. Again, during the research phase of this project it was discovered that there are several unpublished sources that offer information pertinent to this project. Therefore, the author has sought permission from the authors of the unpublished works. The unpublished works are available from some lending libraries but this process can be tedious and is not available to all. Therefore, it was determined that this web site should provide an outlet for this information. The author believes there is justification for the creation of this site because of the need for this information to be made more accessible. As Finzi’s songs continue to grow in popularity the analysis of the compositions will become more important for some, and therefore, as the need grows, this site should assist them.

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METHODOLOGY

Before beginning the construction of this web site a more traditional prose document was started. The research phase involved reviewing related literature as well as the Boosey & Hawkes scores for the three song sets. From the first stage of development several texts were incorporated as models for the project, these include: Michael Pilkington's Gurney, Ireland, Quilter and Warlock; Noni Espina's Repertoire for the Solo Voice: A fully annotated guide to works for the solo voice published in modern editions and covering material from the 13th century to the present; Sergius Kagen's Music for the Voice: A Descriptive List of Concert and Teaching Material; Robert Gartside's Interpreting the Songs of Gabriel Faure. Along with these published resources several unpublished dissertations and theses were reviewed. From the review Gerhardus Daniël Van der Watt's "The Songs of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) To Poems by Thomas Hardy," as well as Mark Carlisle's "Gerald Finzi: A performance Analysis of A Young Man's Exhortation and Till Earth Outwears, Two Works for High Voice and Piano to Poems by Thomas Hardy" were also incorporated as models for the analysis pages.

When the prose document was abandoned for the web site construction it became necessary to use multiple web pages instead of chapters for the purpose of disseminating the information. This decision was made primarily to maintain a manageable loading time within the browser. The information on each page has various formats depending on which category is represented. There are a total of thirty-seven web pages of which twenty-four pages are designated for information about each song. There are also three pages for general information about each of the three song sets, A Young Man's Exhortation, Till Earth Outwears, and Oh Fair to See. The remaining pages include: a discography, a bibliography, and biographical information for: Gerald Finzi and the poets, Edmund Blunden, Robert Bridges, Ivor Gurney, Thomas Hardy, Christina Rossetti, and Edward Shanks.

Within the musical analysis pages one will find three tables that offer pitch, interval, and rhythm duration analysis for each song. The tables are labelled: Pitch Analysis, Interval Analysis of Vocal Line, and Rhythm Duration Analysis of Vocal Line. A pitch analysis was performed for the purpose of accurately determining the tessitura and range of each song. The results of the analysis were then posted in the table and also expressed in a prose manner in the tessitura and range category within the musical analysis section. In order to establish a common point of reference middle C was chosen to allow the author the ability to express the interval of how far above or below middle C the range/tessitura extended. The Interval Analysis of the Vocal Line table was created from the interval analysis data collected of which the purpose was to discover the number of occurrences specific intervals were used and also to see the similarities if there were any between stanzas. Only intervals larger than a major second were accounted for in the interval analysis. The Rhythm Duration Analysis of the Vocal Line table was a product of a rhythm duration analysis. It was performed in order to show the number of occurrences a specific rhythmic duration was used within the song. The phrase in which a particular rhythm duration occurred as well as the total number of occurrences within the song are also part of the rhythm duration analysis table.

Song Analysis Pages

The song analysis pages begin with information about the song text and any criticism particular to the poem. Within the text analysis one will find: historical information for the poem; collections where the poem can be found and with whom it has been published; a translation of the text when necessary; definitions of words that are not easily found. After the song text analysis there is a musical analysis with criticism. The musical analysis section includes a discussion of: rhythmic elements, melodic elements, as well as structural elements including: form and meter, elements such as counterpoint and harmony are discussed when necessary to perform a thorough analysis. Following the musical analysis one will find a list of audio recordings. After the list of audio recordings, on some analysis pages, one will find excerpts from unpublished sources. This section is clearly marked so as to advise the reader that the excerpts are the intellectual property of the respective author. The song pages that include these excerpts are for the ten songs found in A Young Man's Exhortation and the seven songs of Till Earth Outwears as well as the first song of Oh Fair to See, "I Say, 'I'll Seek Her.' " The authors of the unpublished sources extended permission for the excerpts and a statement to that effect is included at the beginning of the excerpt. The analysis pages are discussed in more detail below.

Text Analysis

The text analysis includes information for the poet, date of poem (if known), publication date, publisher, collection in which the poem can be found, history of the poem, the poem itself (when possible), translation of the poem, speaker within the poem, setting, purpose of the poem (subjective), idea or theme (subjective), style, form, and synthesis. Some pages will include pop-up windows that provide assistance to the reader. The information within the pop-up windows includes: definitions, explanations of locations, navigation hints, etc. Some of the pages will have excerpts from unpublished dissertations and this information will be at the bottom of the page.

Musical Analysis

The musical analysis contains basic information that has been compartmentalized. The types include: composition date, publication date, publisher, original key, transposition keys, approximate duration of the song, meter or meters used, tempi used, form, rhythms used, melodic elements, texture, vocal range, tessitura, dynamic range, and a brief statement about the accompaniment. On this page one will also find a pitch analysis of the vocal line, an interval analysis of the vocal line, and a rhythm duration analysis of the vocal line. They are provided for those that are interested in the number of occurrences a specific pitch, interval or rhythmic duration was used in the vocal line. The pitch analysis of the vocal line also yielded information that assisted in determining the tessitura of the vocal line. The interval analysis primary purpose was to see if Finzi used a particular interval in a specific direction more so than others. This analysis may also yield information that is particularly interesting to those that are attempting to determine what makes Finzi's music unique. The rhythmic duration analysis may be of an interest to those that consider Finzi's text setting to be proficient. Some of the musical analysis pages also include excerpts from dissertations and this information is at the bottom of those pages.

Audio Recordings

The audio recording section on each page lists the albums that include a recording of the song that page is associated with. The information included within each listing is: the album title, performers, works included on the recording, the recording date, the label, and the length of the recording. Almost all listings have an image of the recording, and some listings also include links to biographical material for the performers, as well as reviews of the recording, and notes about the performance or the music. When there is an image of the album it is linked normally to a retailer or the recording company. Once at the the external site the page linked will often have musical samples as well as information on how to purchase the recording.

Biographical Pages

The biographical pages for Gerald Finzi and the poets, Edmund Blunden, Robert Bridges, Ivor Gurney, Thomas Hardy, Christina Rossetti, and Edward Shanks offer biographical sketches. The information on these pages is categorized and labelled so as to expedite the research process. Along with the biographical sketch one will also find suggestions for further research as well as links to external web sites.

The biographical pages include compartmentalized information consistent with the theme used in the song pages. The information one can expect to find on the biographical pages includes: birth and death dates, father, mother, siblings, spouse, children, education, possible influences, occupation, works, publishers that worked with the individual, religious and political beliefs, general critical response to the individual's work, recommended resources, and helpful external links. The Gerald Finzi and Thomas Hardy pages also include excerpts from unpublished dissertations.

Discography

The discography page not only has a listing of the audio recordings for each song analyzed within this site but also possesses audio recordings for all of Finzi's songs. While in the research phase of this project the author discovered numerous recordings for Finzi's choral and instrumental music as well. It was determined that this information might be sought by some therefore it has been included on the discography page. The discography has been divided into three sections: vocal recordings, choral recordings, and instrumental recordings. This list of the recordings is not offered as an all inclusive historical list but rather as one for what is presently available through retail outlets or through online shopping. If one would like a historical list of Finzi's recordings before 1997, the author suggests: John C. Dressler's discography. It can be found within Gerald Finzi: A Bio-Bibliography. Dr. Dressler's discography is an excellent resource for a list of recordings prior to 1997.

As was stated above there is a substantial discography listing in Gerald Finzi: A Bio-Bibliography written by John C. Dressler and published by Greenwood Press in 1997. This discography page does not attempt to fill the void of the last thirteen years since the above publication was released. It is not offered as being complete but the author has included it so as to help those that are curious about recordings that are presently available from retailers or can be found while searching online auction sites. As was mentioned above this page is divided into three categories: solo vocal, choral music, and instrumental works. Because the page is quite long there is a box near the top of the page to aid in navigation within each category. In order to jump to another category one can use the link at the top of the page otherwise they must scroll down. Each category section is alphabetized by the label of the album. The information contained within each listing is the same format that was used for the recording pages. The information includes: title of the album, performers (In some instances the performers have links to biographical material that is provided from an external site.), works on the recording, the release date, the label, and the playing time of the recording. Nearly all of the recordings will have an image of the album. This image when possible is linked to an external site that should provide information about purchasing the recording if one wishes to. On some of the listings there will be a link for reviews and possibly sound samples. The external links may not always work as they are outside of the control of this website. The author will periodically check to see if the links are broken. The listings are in the same format in all categories.

Bibliography

The bibliography page is a list of printed resources that were consulted while performing the necessary research for this project. If one is looking for a bibliography that exclusively features Finzi resources prior to 1997 one may consult John C. Dressler's Gerald Finzi: A Bio-Bibliography. One may also consult the Finzi Trust's web site: Gerald Finzi.org once there one can find a bibliography as well as other valuable information about Gerald Finzi and his music.

This page contains the bibliographical entries for the site. The entries are formatted using the 7th edition of A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian. Some of the entries also have an image of the book. The image may also be interactive in that one may navigate to an external website that will give one information on how to purchase the book or in some cases one may be able to view portions of the text. This page has a navigation box at the top of the page that will assist one in jumping to alphabetical locations within the page.

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Methodology excerpt from an unpublished dissertation by
Gerhardus Daniël Van der Watt

The following is a model developed and used in the analysis process of fifty-one songs written by Gerald Finzi and analyzed by Gerhardus Daniël Van der Watt. Dr. Van der Watt extended permission to post this excerpt from his dissertation on October 8th, 2010. His dissertation dated November 1996, is entitled:

The Songs of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) To Poems by Thomas Hardy

This excerpt comes from Volume II and begins on page v and concludes on page vii.

Model for the analysis of songs

"The background to each poem is explored, in so far as information on individual poems is available. Next, a detailed critical analysis is made of each poem, largely with F. R. Lewis' SIFT Method (Sense-Intention-Feeling-Tone) in mind, without following it strictly. The style and format of the individual poem is then considered and, finally, a synthesis attempts to bring the dissection back together again to establish the frame of mind of the composer before he set the poem."
(Van der Watt, v)

Text

1. Poet

	General background
	Background to poem

2. Poem

	Content
	Meaning
	Message
	Style
	Form

3. Synthesis

"The second part, dealing with the actual setting follows the basic Elements of Music (Timbre, Duration, Pitch, Dynamics, Texture, Structure, Mood and Atmosphere) which collectively and in relation with one another, result in the style. These are indeed the variables the composer has at his disposal to construct his work of art."
(Van der Watt, v)

1. Timbre

	Voice type
	Accompaniment

"Under Timbre, the voice type and accompaniment is discussed. Here, first and foremost, an impression of the whole is given. . . The range of the instrument and the resulting sonority, the articulation or other performance indications and the atmosphere which is created are explored."
(Van der Watt, v)

2. Duration

	Metre:	text metre vs musical metre
	Rhythm:	text rhythm vs musical rhythm
	Speed:	text speed vs musical speed

"The element of Duration is further divided into metre, rhythm and speed. The relationship between textual metre and musical metre, metric variation and its purpose and the most prominent metre and its impact on the atmosphere of the song is examined. The rhythmic relation between text and music is indicated, the rhythmic motifs and activity and specific settings and the rhythmic lengthening of voiced consonants are investigated. Finally the tempo and variation thereof are related to the text meaning."
(Van der Watt, vi)

3. Pitch

	Melody
	Tonality
	Harmony and Counterpoint

"Pitch organization is subdivided into melody, tonality and harmony. Under 'melody' a complete analysis of the interval relationships in the vocal part (distance and direction). this allows one to make a conclusive statistical statement on the singability of each song and the body of songs. Specific interval setting and their relation to the textual meaning, whether structural or semantic, are discussed. The melodic curve is graphically represented to indicate the climax or climaxes and any other melodic patterns which establish themselves. Phrase and sub-phrase lengths are examined and suggestions are made with regards to breathing where breathing places are not obvious. Under 'tonality' the basic key or keys and all modulations are indicated and related to the meaning of the text. Other related features such as chromaticism, pan-diatonicism, modality, bi- or poly-tonality and atonality are investigated. A functional harmonic analysis is made, non-harmonic tones are considered and harmonic devices such as pedalpoint, ostinato, non-triadic construction, triad extension, added tones and chord inversion are explored. Examples of the use of free counterpoint or counterpoint in stricter procedures are discussed."
(Van der Watt, vi)

"Harmonic analysis follows the following system: capital Roman numerals are used to indicate major triads and a small plus sign in addition, shows augmented triad. Minor triads are indicated with lower case Roman numerals and the diminished triad is furnished with a small circle, in addition. Any alteration of a triad from its diatonic form has the word 'altered' in brackets behind it while additions to a triad are indicated with the word 'add' and the interval distance from the root of the triad to the added tone. Inversions are indicated with the standard figured bass system."
(Van der Watt, vi)

4. Dynamics - Loudness variation in relation to text and other elements

"In the songs with a piano accompaniment, a detailed, graphic summary of the loudness variation of each song is given. Then the frequency of occurrence, dynamic range, variety and dynamic accents are related to the text meaning."
(Van der Watt, vi)

5. Texture - Density variation in relation to text and other elements

"The texture of the accompaniment is tabled by approximation to the most prominent occurrence in each bar. A summary of the different textures are expressed as a percentage from which the dominant texture in each song can be isolated. Each texture type is then carefully related to the text in order to establish to what degree the meaning or atmosphere is enhanced."
(Van der Watt, vii)

6. Structure - Text structure vs musical structure

"A structural analysis of each song has been tabulated so that the formal aspects can be perceived in a single glance. Preludes, interludes, postludes, links, vocal phrases and sub-phrase are clearly visible in this analysis."
(Van der Watt, vii)

7. Mood and atmosphere - Text mood & atmosphere represented by musical elements

"Establishing the mood and atmosphere suggested by the text should be the main purpose of setting any text. The purpose of this study is to determine to what degree Finzi is successful in creating the appropriate atmosphere for each song. Apart from the fact that a song must be singable, the most important other criterion by which its success can be measured is to whether or not the atmosphere of the text is captured in the setting."
(Van der Watt, vii)

General comment on style

"The detailed analysis of each song is followed by a short summary which comments on the general stylistic characteristics which emanate from the song in question.

A phenomenological approach is taken for the purpose being initially to reserve value-judgement and to establish the existence of patterns, deviation from patterns, or the lack of patterns; subsequently the significance of these patterns (or lack thereof) is assessed and related to the specific meaning of the text and to the larger context of the atmosphere created in the song."
(Van der Watt, vii)

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