"The Song of July" [Catharine A. Ranken]
First line of lyrics: Blue flags, yellow flags, flags all freckled
Part of: "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti"
Rossetti poem(s): "The Months: A Pageant"
Place in the larger work: The seventh song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is a setting of the first and third parts of the "July" personification, lines 166-169 and 181-200.
Composition history: "By permission of Messrs. Macmillan & Co."
Notes: In a review in "The Musical World", 30 December 1882, p. 819 (Ives DM47), the composer is referred to as simply C. A. Rankin and presumed to be a man.
Ranken, Catharine Adelaide; music (English, 1841-1918)
Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)
In reference to the published works below: Ives DM47
Reference: Ives, Maura. Christina Rossetti: A Descriptive Bibliography. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2011.
Other data reference(s): Record for "Twelve Songs, from the Months, a Pageant, Poetry by C. Rossetti." WorldCat, http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/498797067. Accessed 28 March 2022.
Cataloguer: Emma-Catherine Wilson and Roxanne Lafleur, University of Ottawa
The Christina Rossetti in Music project website is hosted in Canada at the University of Ottawa Library, and we aim to comply with Canadian copyright laws. If you believe we have violated Canadian copyright law, please contact us at christinarossettimusic@uottawa.ca. The Christina Rossetti in Music project is strictly not for profit and intended for research and educational purposes only.
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-7.pdf
"The Song of June" [Catharine A. Ranken]
First line of lyrics: The sun does all my long day's work for me
Place in the larger work: The sixth song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is a setting of the second part of the "June" personification, lines 158-165.
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-6.pdf
First line of lyrics: The world and I are far too full of bliss
Place in the larger work: The fifth song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is a setting of the second part of the "May" personification, lines 132-149, omitting lines 130-131.
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-5.pdf
"The Song of April" [Catharine A. Ranken]
First line of lyrics: Pretty little three
Place in the larger work: The fourth song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is a setting of the first part of the "April" personification, lines 80-100.
Tempo markings: "Moderato. (Scherzando e leggiero.)"
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-4.pdf
"The Song of March" [Catharine A. Ranken]
Place in the larger work: The third song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is a setting of the first part of the "March" personification, lines 50-79, followed by a repetition of lines 50-55.
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-3.pdf
"The Song of February" [Catharine A. Ranken]
First line of lyrics: O you, you little wonder, come—come in
initial sharps/flats: no sharps or flats
Place in the larger work: The second song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is a setting of the second part of the "February" personification, lines 29-43, omitting the last lines 44-46.
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-2.pdf
"The Song of January" [Catharine A. Ranken]
First line of lyrics: Cold the day and cold the drifted snow
Place in the larger work: The first song of twelve in the song cycle called "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti," setting of Christina Rossetti's "The Months: A Pageant." The songs in include 1. "The Song of January"; 2. "The Song of February"; 3. "The Song of March"; 4. "The Song of April"; 5. "The Song of May"; 6. "The Song of June"; 7. "The Song of July"; 8. "The Song of August"; 9. "The Song of September"; 10. "The Song of October"; 11. "The Song of November"; 12. "The Song of December".
Notes about the text: This song is an setting of the first part of the "January" personification, lines 1-2, 8-22, omitting lines 3-7.
File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-1.pdf
Rossetti poem(s): "St. Michael and All Angels"
Performance instructions: "Anthem for the Feast of St. Michael and all Angels or general use" ("Service and Strength").
Stanton, Walter Kendall; music (English, 1891-1978)
In reference to the published works below: Gooch and Thatcher 4716
Reference: Gooch, Bryan N.S. and David S. Thatcher. Musical Settings of Early and Mid-Victorian Literature: A Catalogue. New York: Garland, 1979.
Other data reference(s): Record for "Service and Strength." WorldCat, https://worldcat.org/en/title/498461123. Accessed 29 March 2022.
Cataloguer: Emily McConkey, University of Ottawa
First line of lyrics: Winter is cold-hearted
Place in the larger work: The second song of four in the song cycle called "Seasons," which includes 1. "Spring" (Sir John Davies); 2. "Summer" (Christina Rossetti); 3. "Autumn" (Joshua Sylvester); 4. "Winter" (Anonymous).
Performance instructions: "Flowing and lively"
Notes: The song cycle is number 96 in a series called "Unison Songs."
In reference to the published works below: Gooch and Thatcher 4810
Other data reference(s): "Seasons" British Music Collection, https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/score/seasons-1. Accessed 28 March 2022. "Seasons : unison songs no. 96." WorldCat, http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/84643814. Accessed 28 March 2022.
musical score: Northwestern University Music Library, Edmonton, Illinois
"Copyright MCMLXXIV by Edwin Ashdown Ltd, LONDON. NW2 6QR. | EA 37625"
7 pages (pp. 5-11); complete song cycle performance time 6 minutes
"Summer Days for Me" [Laurence H. Davies]
Davies, Laurence H.; music (British, 1911-1983)
In reference to the published works below: Gooch and Thatcher 4806
Other data reference(s): "Summer days for me : unison song for children's voices." WorldCat, http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/810519555. Accessed 25 March 2022.
"When a mounting skylark sings" [Hermann Löhr]
First line of lyrics: When a mounting skylark sings
Rossetti poem(s): "'When a mounting skylark sings'"
Performance instructions: "This song may also be had separately in B♭, C & D."
Löhr, Hermann; music (British, 1871-1943)
In reference to the published works below: Gooch and Thatcher 4858
Reference: Ezust, Emily. The LiederNet Archive. http://www.lieder.net/lieder/index.html
Cataloguer: Benzir Harold Dmello, University of Ottawa
Musical score: Charles Darwin University, Australia
"Copyright, MCMII by Chappell & Co, Ltd. | New Edition, Copyright. MCMVIII, by Chappell & Co, Ltd."
First line of lyrics: Unmindful of the roses
Notes about the text: The song is an exact setting of the Rossetti poem, with some repetition of the poem's last line ("But one remembers yet"). The poem is included in full.
Tempo markings: "Moderato ma non troppo."
Performance history: Title page indicates: "Sung by Madame Kirkby Lunn," potentially indicating a performance.
Löhr, Hermann; music (English, 1871-1943)
Cataloguer: Anna MacDonald, University of British Columbia
musical score: Royal Academy of Music Library, London
London, New York, and Melbourne: Chappell & Co Ltd.
"This song may be sung in public without fee or license except at theatres and music halls. The right of public representation or performance upon or by means of any mechanical instrument is strictly reserved. The public performance of any parodied version of this song is strictly prohibited. Copyright, MCMIX, by Chappell & Co Ltd."
"Who has seen the wind?" [David Eisenband]
First line of lyrics: Who has seen the wind?
instrumentation: a cappella|piano (for rehearsal only)
Rossetti poem(s): "'Who has seen the wind?'"
Tempo markings: "Tempo rubato"; quarter note = ca. 52
Performance instructions: The score starts with the instruction "like gusts of wind" following the tempo marking "Tempo rubato", with no time signature. "Performance notes: In addition to SATB, the piece calls for a 'Wind' part. Its notes, notated with X's, represent unvoiced wind-sounds. The wind part should consist of a few members of the choir, who may join their usual voice parts when possible. | C.I.A.D. stands for Continue Individual As Directed. After the choir holds the notes under the fermatas marked with C.I.A.D, the conductor should point to individual singers in sweeping fashion accross [sic] the choir, directing them to continue singing their parts individually. The note values are only meant to show relative duration, and singers may arrive at the normal fermatas end of their phrases ad libitum before being cut off together. The resulting dynamic swells should produce a gust-like effect in a spacial sense. | The oscillating notes surrounded by boxes and the lines marked ad lib. should be performed individually and may spill over the barlines. The boxed material should produce clustery, swelling, background sonorities. The ad lib. lines should produce canon-like melodic trails."
Performance history: Performed by the American Creators Chorus, with conductor Craig Hella Johnson, on July 2, 2013 in Beall Concert Hall, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. As part of the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium. "Special thanks to Matthew Oltmann and Craig Hella Johnson." (“Who has seen the wind? 2013") (Campbell) Performed by members of the University of Oregon choirs, with conductor David Eisenband, February 2014 in Beall Concert Hall, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. As part of Eisenband’s Masters recital. Performed by the Varsity Choir of Sheldon High School, with conductor David Eisenband, December 2016, Sheldon High School Auditorium, Eugene, OR. As part of the Sheldon Music Winter Choral Concert. Performed by the Singers of New and Ancient Music (SONAM) Chorus, with conductor Allen Friedman, April 2017, in Durham, North Carolina.
Recordings: Eisenband, David. "Who has seen the wind? (2013)." Performance by American Creators Chorus, conducted by Craig Hella Johnson, conductor, 2 Jul. 2013, Beall Concert Hall, University of Oregon, Eugene. Bandcamp, https://davideisenband.bandcamp.com/track/who-has-seen-the-wind-2013. Accessed 13 Oct. 2020. Eisenband, David. "Who Has Seen the Wind." Performance by American Creators Chorus, Craig Hella Johnson, conductor, 2013 Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium. SoundCloud, uploaded 31 Oct. 2013, https://soundcloud.com/deisenband/who-has-seen-the-wind.
Eisenband, David; music (American, born 1987)
Other data reference(s): Campbell, Brett. "New Voices." Oregon ArtsWatch, 4 July 2013. Oregan ArtsWatch Archives, https://archive.orartswatch.org/new-voices/. Accessed 24 March 2022. Eisenband, David. "Re: Discussing choral setting." Received by Mary Arseneau, 20 Oct. 2020. “Who has seen the wind? (2013).” Bandcamp, https://davideisenband.bandcamp.com/track/who-has-seen-the-wind-2013. Accessed 13 Oct. 2020.
Cataloguer: Jacob Spence and Roxanne Lafleur, University of Ottawa
2013 [composition]; 2014 [publication] [copyright]
"© David Eisenband 2014." This score is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The score appears on this website by kind permission of composer David Eisenband.
Other data reference(s): "Summer : song." WorldCat, http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/221732167. Accessed 24 Mar. 2022.
untitled [setting of "'Take no thought for the morrow'"] [music unspecified]
First line of lyrics: Who knows? God knows: and what He knows
Rossetti poem(s): "'Take no thought for the morrow'"
Dedication: "To | Regenten House and Wintersdorf Girls | THERE and HERE"
Notes: In the preface, Mary S. Simon, the compiler of the Wintersdorf Hymnal, states: "To those Publishers, whose permission to print certain hymns contained in this volume has been granted on condition that that permission should be duly acknowledged, I accord my most grateful thanks: To . . . the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, for Nos. 141, 142, 143, 144, 145 . . . The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge requests me to emphasise the fact that it has granted me permission to use the five hymns of Miss Rossetti (141-5), in consideration only of Wintersdorf Hymnal being for private circulation." Later it specifies: "The Hymns of Miss Rossetti are also still within the covers of her latest volume, entitled 'The Face of the Deep'." At the end, Simon states that "The compilation of an accompanying Tune Book is in the process of completion, and it will be ready (in MS.) in the course of the Autumn. Many of the hymns are already webbed to music; others are in the hands of composers, and the whole is under the direction of Miss M. E. Greaves--a sufficient guarantee to all who known her of the quality of the work."
In reference to the published works below: Ives DM9
Cataloguer: Roxanne Lafleur, University of Ottawa
Lyrics: Wintersdorf Hymnal, compiled by Mary S. Simon, Isbister, 1893, p. 192, no. 145. HathiTrust, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100348904. Accessed 18 March 2022.
Record: CRM-takenothought-musicunspecified
File(s): CRM-takenothought-musicunspecified.pdf
untitled [setting of "'Lord, grant us grace to rest upon Thy word'"] [music unspecified]
First line of lyrics: Lord, grant us grace to rest upon Thy word
Rossetti poem(s): "'Lord, grant us grace to rest upon Thy word'"
Lyrics: Wintersdorf Hymnal, compiled by Mary S. Simon, Isbister, 1893, p. 191, no. 144. HathiTrust, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100348904. Accessed 18 March 2022.
Record: CRM-lordgrantusgrace-musicunspecified
File(s): CRM-lordgrantusgrace-musicunspecified.pdf
untitled [setting of "'Because He first loved us'"] [music unspecified]
First line of lyrics: I was hungry, and Thou feddest me
Rossetti poem(s): "'Because He first loved us'"
Lyrics: Wintersdorf Hymnal, compiled by Mary S. Simon, Isbister, 1893, p. 190-191, no. 143. HathiTrust, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100348904. Accessed 18 March 2022.
File(s): CRM-becausehe-musicunspecified.pdf
untitled [setting of "'That where I am, there ye may be also'"] [music unspecified]
First line of lyrics: How know I that it looms lovely that land I have never seen
Rossetti poem(s): "'That where I am, there ye may be also'"
Lyrics: Wintersdorf Hymnal, compiled by Mary S. Simon, Isbister, 1893, p. 189-190, no. 142. HathiTrust, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100348904. Accessed 18 March 2022.
Record: CRM-thatwhereiam-musicunspecified
File(s): CRM-thatwhereiam-musicunspecified.pdf
untitled [setting of "'Grant us such grace that we may work Thy Will'"] [music unspecified]
First line of lyrics: Grant us such grace that we may work Thy Will
Rossetti poem(s): "'Grant us such grace that we may work Thy Will'"
Lyrics: Wintersdorf Hymnal, compiled by Mary S. Simon, Isbister, 1893, p. 189, no. 141. HathiTrust, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100348904. Accessed 18 March 2022.
Record: CRM-grantussuch-musicunspecified
File(s): CRM-grantussuch-musicunspecified.pdf
First line of lyrics: Crack your first nut and light your first fire
instrumentation: keyboard (for rehearsal only)|a cappella
Place in the larger work: The seventh song of seven in the song cycle called "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "The Bourne"; 2. "The Pancake"; 3. "Lullaby"; 4. "from Goblin Market"; 5. "The Swallow"; 6. "Home by Different Ways"; 7. "October Canzonet."
Composition history: "These settings of seven poems by Christina Rossetti were composed in 2008; they were commissioned by MUSE, Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir, artistic director Catherine Roma" ("Rossetti Songs").
Performance instructions: "These settings of poems by Christina Rossetti are composed for women’s voices and intended for amateur choir. Any selection from this collection may be made, and the songs sung in any order. Conductors may use solo voices, small groups or large choirs, as they wish. | If instrumental support is needed, they could be doubled by melody instruments, but keyboard (useful in rehearsal) is not suitable in performance. They may also be transposed: for example, ‘Lullaby’ could be transposed up a semitone, and violins used to play the ostinati" ("Rossetti Songs").
Performance history: "[F]irst performance Cincinnati, November 22nd, 2008" by MUSE, Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir, artistic director Catherine Roma ("Rossetti Songs").
LeFanu, Nicola [Frances]; music (British, born 1947)
Other data reference(s): "Rossetti Songs." Nicola LeFanu, https://www.nicolalefanu.com/resources/programmenotes/9-Choral-a-cappella/9-2008-Rossetti-Songs.pdf. Accessed 17 March 2022.
complete song cycle performance time 15 minutes
"Home by Different Ways" [Nicola LeFanu]
First line of lyrics: Home by different ways. Yet all
Rossetti poem(s): "'The end is not yet'"
Place in the larger work: The sixth song of seven in the song cycle called "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "The Bourne"; 2. "The Pancake"; 3. "Lullaby"; 4. "from Goblin Market"; 5. "The Swallow"; 6. "Home by Different Ways"; 7. "October Canzonet."
First line of lyrics: Fly away, fly away over the sea
Rossetti poem(s): "'Fly away, fly away over the sea'"
Place in the larger work: The fifth song of seven in the song cycle called "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "The Bourne"; 2. "The Pancake"; 3. "Lullaby"; 4. "from Goblin Market"; 5. "The Swallow"; 6. "Home by Different Ways"; 7. "October Canzonet."
First line of lyrics: For there is no friend like a sister
Place in the larger work: The fourth song of seven in the song cycle called "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "The Bourne"; 2. "The Pancake"; 3. "Lullaby"; 4. "from Goblin Market"; 5. "The Swallow"; 6. "Home by Different Ways"; 7. "October Canzonet."
First line of lyrics: Lullaby, oh, lullaby!
Rossetti poem(s): "'Lullaby, oh lullaby!'"
Place in the larger work: The third song of seven in the song cycle called "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "The Bourne"; 2. "The Pancake"; 3. "Lullaby"; 4. "from Goblin Market"; 5. "The Swallow"; 6. "Home by Different Ways"; 7. "October Canzonet."
Place in the larger work: The second song of seven in the song cycle called "Rossetti Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems. The songs include 1. "The Bourne"; 2. "The Pancake"; 3. "Lullaby"; 4. "from Goblin Market"; 5. "The Swallow"; 6. "Home by Different Ways"; 7. "October Canzonet."