Oh Fair To See
Oh Fair To See is both the name of this set of songs as well as the second song in the set. The song set was published in 1966 for high voice and piano by Boosey and Hawkes as opus 13b. Oh Fair To See was assembled and edited after Finzi's death by Howard Ferguson (pianist, composer and friend of Gerald's), Joyce Finzi (Gerald's wife) and Christopher Finzi (Gerald's son). The Editor's note from the 1966 score reads: "Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) planned several volumes of songs in addition to those already published during his lifetime. There were to be at least two more Hardy sets, as well as groups of songs to words by various other poets. Each of these sets was to be made up, as was his habit, from songs written throughout his life. During his last year Finzi had a remarkable burst of song writing, and though, at the time of his death, none of the sets was completed, some two dozen songs were left ready for publication. These have been grouped by the editors into four volumes. TILL EARTH OUTWEARS, 7 songs for High Voice and Piano, words by Thomas Hardy, First published 1958; I SAID TO LOVE, 6 songs for Low Voice and Piano, words by Thomas Hardy, First published 1958; OH FAIR TO SEE, 7 songs for High voice and Piano, words by various poets, First published 1965; TO A POET, 6 songs for Low Voice and Piano, words by various poets, First published 1965; Oh Fair To See, 1966.
Unlike previous publications of Gerald Finzi's songs, Oh Fair To See contains the poetry of six poets: Thomas Hardy, Christina Rossetti, Edward Shanks, Ivor Gurney, Edmund Blunden and Robert Bridges. Robert Bridges' poem Since We Loved has the distinction of being Finzi's last before his death.
Unpublished Analysis Excerpt
The following is an excerpt from Samuel Rudolph Germany's dissertation. Dr. Germany extended permission to post this excerpt on December 20th, 2010. His dissertation dated August 1993, is entitled:
The Solo Vocal Collections of Gerald R. Finzi Suitable for Performance by the High Male Voice.
The excerpt begins on page sixty-five and concludes on page sixty-nine.
Posthumous Works Designated for High Voice
In addition to the song collections published during his lifetime, Finzi had planned several other volumes of songs. There were to have been at least two more Hardy sets, as well as groups of songs to various poets. Each of these collections was to have been compiled, as was his habit, from songs written throughout his life. With a remarkable flourish of productivity during his last year, Finzi had some two dozen songs ready for publication upon his death. Editors Joyce Finzi, Christopher Finzi, and Howard Ferguson compiled the remaining titles into four volumes, grouped in two sets for high voice and two for low. Each vocal grouping contained one set of Hardy poems and one set by miscellaneous authors. The songs were from different time periods, containing his very last songs, as well as pieces which had been written 30 years before. (C. Finzi) The editors acknowledged that several songs were transposed in order to compliment the set properly. (Ferguson) (Editors note) Either of the two high voice sets would be appropriate for tenor performance.
Oh Fair to See
The second posthumous set appropriate for tenor is Oh Fair to See, op. 13b, published in 1965. It contains Hardy's "I Say 'I'll seek her' " (1929), Christina Rossetti's "Oh Fair to See" (1929), Edward Shanks' "As I Lay in the Early Sun" (1921), Ivor Gurney's "Only the Wanderer" (1925), Edmund Blunden's "To Joy" (1931), Blunden's "Harvest" (1956), and Robert Bridge's "Since We Loved" (August 28, 1956). (Banfield, 445) Ferguson states, "In spite of the very different times at which they were written, the songs are surprisingly consistent and show how little Gerald's style changed over the years." (Ferguson)
"As I Lay in the Early Sun" is notably one of the earliest songs written by Finzi. However, Banfield reports that "I Say 'I'll seek her' " is the earliest of the datable songs in which "Finzi's stylistic resources are exploited to the full; the poem gains a disturbing immediacy in the setting, which rater overbalances the other songs in this set." (Banfield, 297) Banfield notes that "Harvest" is largely typical of Finzi's vocal writing in its tendency to illuminate the mood of the poem, rather than to depict it pictorially: "The song is largely an internal, semi-arioso monologue articulating its thought with stock rhetorical and expressive devices." (Banfield, 297) The last song of the set, "Since We Loved," is also the last song Finzi completed, one month before his death. It has been recognized as a tribute to his dear wife Joy (C. Finzi) and was the last selection performed at her memorial service in 1991. (Farewell Tribute)