Wernke: 7 Poems of Walter De La Mare

Description

Composer's Note: I came upon Walter De La Mare's poetry practically by accident. I was waiting on text from the librettist of the earlier mentioned cantata (DaVinci at the River) when I had this urge to write a song cycle for high voice and piano. I started looking for suitable poetry when I found De La Mare's poem "Autumn." I was captivated. I started searching for other poems and eventually found a set of nine that were neatly grouped according to seasons or months (winter to winter). Eventually I removed two of the poems and settled on seven poems. Each poem is, on a surface level, about a season, weather event, or month. But, as with most poetry, there is so much more upon deeper reflection. These poems have been my partner for over a year and as I read and re-read each one I found that I was constantly shifting my compositional approach. The process of composing this piece has been an immense joy. I hope you enjoy the work too. - Kyle Wernke, 2022