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Programme Note

The Mini Song Cycle for Gina was composed in 1984 and like his earlier Yeats settings the selected texts are much concerned with the passing of time and loss. Again, simplicity is the order of the day with light, effortless folk and chant-like vocal lines. The extremely simple, but effective piano writing is a prime example of the composer's economy of style: bell-like, isolated peels of Eb punctuate the first song, whilst in the third [He reproves the Curlew] a continuous tremolando is heard throughout.

© Michael Stewart