JOCELYN MORLOCK (b. 1969)Involuntary Love Songs (2008)

This chapter explores Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock’s Involuntary Love Songs (2008). Morlock’s lively, distinctive voice and clear vision are immediately evident in this trio of satisfying, ear-catching songs, written in an accessible style that recalls elements of an earlier North American ‘art-song’ tradition. The cycle will be an asset to any recital programme. The vibrantly evocative poems by Alan Ashton are ideal musical vehicles, and Morlock responds to them with spontaneity and empathy, mirroring their emotional surges and bracing contrasts. An enviably uncluttered musical language often has modal overtones, and she favours spare, lean textures, with frequent open fifths and fourths anchored to a stable, tonic base. Words are set so as to ring out clearly and vocal lines stay within a practical range, following the contours of natural speech. The piece was originally written for soprano, but, in keeping with a current trend, exists in different transposed versions, each also open to adaptation for individual performers.

A Singer-Composer Learns His Craft

This chapter examines Harry T. Burleigh's work as a composer during the period 1896–1913. Burleigh's 200-plus vocal and instrumental works brought him national and international renown in the first half of the twentieth century. Burleigh's songs reflected his thorough knowledge of the prevailing forms and musical idioms of the European and American art song, both as a singer and as a composer. All his songs were written for the recital or concert stage, and they often set the same lyrics. Two of Burleigh's compositional output are choral arrangements of spirituals—“Deep River” and “Dig My Grave”—that were written for Kurt Schindler's Schola Cantorum. Also, it was not unusual for Burleigh himself to appear in concert or recital with other song composers. This chapter considers Burleigh's compositions published from 1896 to 1903 and from 1904 to 1913, including art songs, plantation songs, piano sketches, and sacred songs.

“Composer by Divine Right”

This chapter examines a selection of art songs that won Harry T. Burleigh renown through their performance by an impressive roster of American and European opera and recital singers, making him one of the most respected American art song composers of the first quarter of the twentieth century. Burleigh's best-known art songs were published by G. Ricordi Music Publishing Company for more than three and a half decades. The first five years of G. Ricordi's publications (1914–1919) represent the majority of the strongest, most memorable, and most enduring of his art song oeuvre. In addition to a dozen or so art songs, more sacred songs appeared in the 1920s, especially from 1924. There were several songs written for historically black colleges such as Talladega College, several novelty songs, and a number of arrangements of folksongs and operatic choruses for choral ensembles. Two songs are especially notable: “Lovely Dark and Lonely One” (1935) and “In Christ There Is No East or West” (1940).