Work
Exquisite Spirit
for mezzo-soprano and piano
Films, Audio & Samples
About
Exquisite Spirit comprises three songs for mezzo-soprano and piano, based on poems by famous New Zealand writer, Katherine Mansfield. The songs are To L.H.B. (1894-1915), The Sea-Child, and Loneliness, and are symbolic evocations of Mansfield’s own life experiences. The first song is about her brother who died in World War I, and the longing to be reunited. Some of the tragic darkness in Mansfield’s life is captured in the music of these songs.
Commissioned note
Commissioned for ‘Child of the Sun’ — A Celebration of Katherine Mansfield in Song
Contents note
- To L.H.B.
- The Sea-Child
- Loneliness
Text note
Text by Katherine Mansfield