| Composer | Graham Robb |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | moderate |
| Format | voice and piano score |
| Publisher | Mince's Music |
| Instruments | mezzo-soprano and piano |
See a page from Jazz Sonnets: Three Shakespeare encores for mezzo soprano
See a page from Jazz Sonnets: Three Shakespeare encores for mezzo soprano
These sonnets can of course be performed separately - they make attractive encores - but taken together they recount a universal story of deception, loss, and of a partial redemption. No. 40 was set to music for a production of "Twelfth Night" at Glenalmond College whilst nos. 41 & 42 completed the set for a concert series in the Edinburgh festival.
In Sonnet 40, "Take all my loves", Shakespeare reflects on his discovery of the infidelity of his lover with his friend. It has a dark, melodic quality reminiscent of the music of the film noir movies of the 1940s & 50s.
Sonnet 41, "Those pretty wrongs", is a gentle, noir-ish latin-American dance, and continues the tale, excusing his betrayers on the grounds of their youth and beauty.
Sonnet 42, "That thou hast her", is a crossover soft-rock ballad in which Shakespeare attempts to justify his lover's infidelity and partially comforts himself with the memory of their love.
(The excerpts are performed by Seumas Begg, accompanied by Karen MacIver)
Jazz Sonnets: Three Shakespeare encores for bass
Jazz Sonnets: Three Shakespeare encores for contralto
Jazz Sonnets: Three Shakespeare encores for baritone
Three Songs for Mezzo Soprano“Your comments about Kapustin are entirely accurate! I'm certain to be ordering much of it in the near future.” Ben, Lincoln, USA
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