List of compositions by Peter Warlock explained

Peter Warlock was the pseudonym adopted by the British composer and music scholar Philip Arnold Heseltine (1894–1930). He wrote over a hundred songs, a number of choral works and a small number of instrumental pieces. His general style has been summarised by his biographer Barry Smith as "an idiosyncratic harmonic language that comprise[s] an unusual mixture of Edwardiana, Delius, Van Dieren, Elizabethan and folk music, features that give his music a strongly personal voice". In addition to his own compositions he made transcriptions of Elizabethan and Jacobean vocal solo, choral, and instrumental works, and prepared an edition of Henry Purcell's string fantasias.[1] [2]

For choral works the acronym "SATB" (Soprano-Alto-Tenor-Bass) has been used to indicate the voice composition of the work. Divisions of individual voice parts are indicated by "SSAA..." etc.

1. SONGS (with pianoforte accompaniment)[3]
YearTitle/First lineWords byVocal/choral
forces
width-"120" Instrumental forcesNotes
1911The Wind from the WestElla Young
1911A Lake and a Fairy BoatThomas Hood
1911Music, when soft voices diePercy Bysshe Shelley2 versions
1915The Everlasting VoicesW. B. Yeats
1916The Cloths of HeavenW. B. YeatsRevised 1919
1916–17Saudades: 1. Along the StreamLi Po
1916–17Saudades: 2. Take, O take those lips away William Shakespeare
1916–17Saudades: 3. Heraclitus
1917The Water LilyRobert Nichols
1917I asked a thief to steal me a peachWilliam Blake2 versions
1918Bright is the ring of wordsRobert Louis Stevenson
1918To the Memory of a Great SingerRobert Louis StevensonRevised 1922
1918Take, O take those lips awayWilliam Shakespeare2nd setting
1918As ever I saw
1918My gostly faderCharles, Duke of Orleans
1918The bayley berith the bell away
1918Whenas the ryeGeorge Peele
?1918Dedication Philip Sydney
?1918–19Love for Love
?1918–19My sweet little darling
?1918–19Sweet Content Thomas Dekker
?1919BalulalowMartin Luther
(scottish translation
of "Vom Himmel hoch,
da komm ich her
," in the 1567 second edition of The Gude and Godlie Ballatis)
1919Mourne no MoeJohn Fletcher
1919RomanceRobert Louis Stevenson
?1919There is a Lady
1920Play Acting
1921Captain Stratton's FancyJohn Masefield
1921Mr Belloc's FancyJ. C. Squire2 versions
1921–22Late SummerEdward Shanks
1922Good Ale
1922Hey troly loly lo
1922The Bachelor
1922Piggesnie
1922Little Trotty WagtailJohn Clare
1922The SingerEdward Shanks
1922Adam lay ybounden
1922Rest sweet nymphs
1922SleepJohn Fletcher
1922Tyrley Tyrlow
1922Lillygay: The Distracted Maid; Johnny wi' the Tye; The Shoemaker; Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane; Rantum TantumV. B. Neuburg
1922Peterisms, set I: ChopcherryGeorge Peele
1922Peterisms, set I: A Sad SongJohn Fletcher
1922Peterisms, set I: RutterkinJohn Skelton-1922–23Peterisms, set II: Roister DoisterN. Udall
1922–23Peterisms, set II: SpringThomas Nashe
1922–23Peterisms, set II:Lusty JuventusRobert Wever
1922In an arbour green
1922Autumn TwilightArthur Symons
1923Milkmaids John Smith
1923Candlelight (12 nursery rhymes)
1923Jenny Gray
1923I held love's headRobert Herrick
1923Thou gav'st me leave to kissRobert Herrick
1923ConsiderFord Madox Ford
1924Twelve Oxen
1924The Toper's Song
1924Sweet and Twenty William Shakespeare
1924Peter Warlock's Fancy
1924Yarmouth FairH. Collins
1924 I have a gardenThomas MooreRevised from 1910
1925Chanson du jour de Noel Clément Marot
1925Pretty Ring TimeWilliam Shakespeare
1925A Prayer to St AnthonyArthur Symons
1925The Sick HeartArthur Symons
1926The CountrymanJ. Chalkhill
1926MaltwormsW. StevensonWith E. J. Moeran
1926The BirdsHilaire Belloc
1926Robin Goodfellow
1926Jillian of Berry Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher
1926Away to Twiver
1926Fair and TrueNicholas Breton
1927Ha'nacker MillHilaire Belloc
1927The NightHilaire Belloc
1927My Own CountryHilaire Belloc
1927The First MercyBruce Blunt
1927The Lover's MazeThomas Campion
1927Cradle SongJohn Phillip
1927Sigh no more ladiesWilliam Shakespeare
1927Walking the Woods
1927MockeryWilliam Shakespeare
1927The Jolly Shepherd
1928Queen Anne
1928Passing by
1928The Passionate Shepherd Christopher MarloweSeven Songs of Summer No. 1
1928The Contented Lovertrans J. MabbeSeven Songs of Summer No. 2
1928YouthRobert WeverSeven Songs of Summer No. 3
1928The Sweet o' the YearWilliam ShakespeareSeven Songs of Summer No. 4
1928Tom TylerSeven Songs of Summer No. 5
1928Elore LoSeven Songs of Summer No. 6
1928The Droll LoverSeven Songs of Summer No. 7
1928And wilt thou leave me thus?Thomas Wyatt
1928The Cricketers of HambledonBruce BluntFirst performed by The Hambledon Band on 1 Jan 1929 at a charity cricket match at Broadhalfpenny Down. [4]
1928Fill the Cup, Philip
1929The Frostbound WoodBruce Blunt
1930After Two YearsRichard Aldington
1930The FoxBruce Blunt
1930Bethlehem DownBruce BluntRevision of 1927 choral version
2. CHORAL WORKS (unaccompanied unless specified)
YearTitle/First lineWords byVocal/choral
forces
width-"120" Instrumental forcesNotes
1916The Full HeartRobert NicholsSoprano solo
SSAATTBB chorus
Revised 1921
1918As Dewe in Aprylle,SSAATBB chorus
1918Benedicamus DominoSSAATTBB chorus
1918Cornish Christmas CarolHenry JennerSSAATTBB chorus
1918Kanow KernowHenry JennerSSAATB chorus
1919Corpus ChristiAlto and tenor solos
SSAATBB chorus
1923Tyrley Tyrlow (carol)SATB chorusOrchestra
1923Balulalow (carol)Soprano solo
SATB chorus
String orchestra
1923The Sycamore Tree (carol)SATB chorusOrchestra
1925One More RiverBaritone solo
TTBB chorus
Pianoforte
1925The Lady's BirthdayBaritone solo
ATTB chorus
Pianoforte
1925The Spring of the YearAllan CunninghamSATB chorus
1923–25Dirge: All the flowers of springJohn WebsterSSAATTBB chorus
1923–25Dirge: Call for the Robin RedbreastJohn WebsterSSAA chorus
1923–25Dirge: The Shrouding of the Duchess of MalfiJohn WebsterTTBB chorus
1927Bethlehem DownBruce BluntSATB chorusSong version 1930
1927I saw a fair maidenSATTB chorus
1927What Cheer? Good Cheer! Unison chorus
1927Where Riches is EverlastinglySATB soli
Unison chorus
Organ
1928The Rich CavalcadeFrank KendonSATB chorus
1928The First MercyBruce BluntSSA chorusPianoforteArrangement of 1927 song
1928The bayley berith the bell awayTwo voicesPianoforteArrangement of 1927 song
1929The Five Lesser Joys of MaryD. L. KelleherUnison chorusOrgan
1930Carillon CarillaHilaire BellocSATB chorusOrgan
3. VOCAL with Chamber accompaniment
YearTitle/First lineWords byVocal/choral
forces
width-"120" Instrumental forcesNotes
1919My lady is a pretty oneSolo voiceString quartet
1920–22The CurlewW.B. YeatsTenor soloFlute, Cor Anglais, String quartetCycle of four songs
1927Corpus ChristiSoprano and baritone voicesString quartetRevision of 1919 choral version
1926–27Sorrow's LullabyThomas Lovell BeddoesSoprano and baritone voicesString quartet
1927My little sweet darlingSolo voiceString quartetUnpublished revision of 1919 song
1930The Fairest MaySolo voiceString quartetRevision of 1922 song
UndatedPretty Ring TimeWilliam ShakespeareUnpublished revision of 1925 song
4. INSTRUMENTAL WORKS
YearTitle/First lineWords byVocal/choral
forces
width-"150" Instrumental forcesNotes
1916–17Four CodpiecesPianoforte
1917A Chinese BalletPianoforteUnpublished
1917An Old SongSmall orchestra
1917The Old CodgerPianoforteUnpub. parody on Franck's D minor Symphony
1918Folk Song PreludesPianoforte
1921–22SerenadeString Orchestra
1926Capriol SuitePiano duet or string orchestra or full orchestra
UndatedRow well ye MarinersPianoforteUnpublished

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Smith. Barry. Heseltine, Philip Arnold. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online edition. 30 July 2012.
  2. Web site: Smith. Barry. Warlock, Peter [Heseltine, Philip (Arnold)]]. Grove Music Online. 30 July 2012.
  3. Web site: Peter Warlock: Works. The Peter Warlock Society. 30 July 2012.
  4. Programme for charity cricket match, Broadhalfpenny Down, Hambledon, 1 Jan 1929.