A Song in the Wood takes us on a musical journey through the woods of Britain: English songs from the first half of the 20th century – so full of emotion and beauty, continue to inspire and touch deeply today. The album’s fictional journey follows the recurring themes of love, separation and reunion, and ultimately of humanity and the loss of it.
The chronological timeline of our composers coincides with the darkening of the times as the first half of the 20th century advanced, and the Great War changed the face of humanity forever.
The shock of the war changed and shaped our society enormously, including the art world. While changes in social structures, political tensions and the possibility of impending war dominated everyday life, many people longed for a return to simpler, safer times. To this end, artists in Britain created a variety of poems, paintings and songs, inspired by folk songs and stories and ancient sagas, to help these people return to the longed-for ideal of a pristine, romantic landscape.
The shock of the war changed and shaped our society enormously, including the art world. While changes in social structures, political tensions and the possibility of impending war dominated everyday life, many people longed for a return to simpler, safer times. To this end, artists in Britain created a variety of poems, paintings and songs, inspired by folk songs and stories and ancient sagas, to help these people return to the longed-for ideal of a pristine, romantic landscape.
Thus, in British songs there is a retreat into the past at a time when the urge for innovation, for progress and newness was prevalent on the continent. But these songs are no less valuable for that: they move the listener, provoke emotions and memories, and inspire. They deserve a place in the song programmes of the 21st century.
