"When I am dead, my dearest" [Samuel Coleridge-Taylor]

"When I am dead, my dearest" [Samuel Coleridge-Taylor]

First line of lyrics: When I am dead, my dearest

Part of: "Six Sorrow Songs"

Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel; music (English, 1875-1912)

Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)

1904 [publication] [copyright]; 1906 [copyright]

London: Augener Ltd.; Paris: Max Eschig; Boston: Boston Music Co.

genre: art song (lied)|song|song cycle

solo: low voice

instrumentation: piano

initial sharps/flats: one flat

initial time signature: 3/4

other version 1 - solo: high voice

other version 1 - instrumentation: piano

other version 1 - initial sharps/flats: one sharp

origin: United Kingdom

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "Song" ("When I am dead, my dearest")

Place in the larger work: The second song of six in the song cycle called "6 Sorrow Songs," settings of Christina Rossetti poems, which includes 1. "Oh what comes over the Sea"; 2. "When I am dead, my dearest"; 3. "Oh, Roses for the flush of youth"; 4. "She sat and sang alway"; 5. "Unmindful of the Roses"; 6. "Too late for love."

Composition history: "By permission of Messrs. Macmillan & Co."

Tempo markings: "Andante con moto"

Performance history: Debut performance of the song cycle: "1904/V/18; Croydon; Public Hall; Marie Brema, mezzo-soprano." "1912/IX/5; West Croydon; St. Michael and All Angels; Julien Henry, baritone; funeral of the composer" (de Lerma). Performance of the song cycle streamed live on Sep 23, 2020 in a concert at Wigmore Hall, London, with Elizabeth Llewellyn, soprano and Simon Lepper, piano, YouTube, https://youtu.be/KuoYQydNjG4. Accessed 29 Sep. 2020.

Recordings: "Samuel Coleridge-Taylor When I am dead, my dearest." Lyrics by Christina Rossetti, performance by Hélène Linqvist, soprano, Philipp Vogle, piano. 2011. The Art Song Project, http://theartsongproject.com/when-i-am-dead-my-dearest/.

Dedication: "To My Wife" [Jessie Coleridge-Taylor]

Notes: The song cycle was arranged with string quartet accompaniment by Cedric Sharpe (British, 1891-1978). "When I am dead, my dearest" has been arranged in various forms and published under different titles. e.g. piano solo arranged by A. Roloff, published under the title "Reflections" in an album entitled "Melodies;" for organ solo (arranged by Dr. A. Eaglefield, included in "Organ Album," Book 1; for violin and piano duet, arranged by B. Constance Hull, published under the title "Regret" in an album entitled "Six Easy Pieces" (Gooch and Thatcher 4749).

Format 1: musical score

4 pages (pp. 4-7)

In reference to the published works below: Gooch and Thatcher 4749

Reference: Gooch, Bryan N.S. and David S. Thatcher. Musical Settings of Early and Mid-Victorian Literature: A Catalogue. New York: Garland, 1979.

Reference: Ezust, Emily. The LiederNet Archive. http://www.lieder.net/lieder/index.html

Reference: IMSLP Petrucci Music Library, http://imslp.org/

Other data reference(s): de Lerma, Dominique-René. 46. Works. "Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)." AfriClassical.com, African Heritage in Classical Music, http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/song.html#46. Accessed 6 Dec. 2018.

Cataloguer: Warren Reid, University of Ottawa

musical score for low voice: University of Victoria Library, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

musical score for high voice: IMSLP Petrucci Music Library, https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/23607. Accessed 2 Oct. 2018.

Opus: 57, number 2

Record: CRM-songwheniamdead-coleridge-taylor

File(s): CRM-songwheniamdead-coleridge-taylor-low.pdf; CRM-songwheniamdead-coleridge-taylor-high.pdf

musical score for low voice: "Copyright 1904, by Augener & Co."
musical score for high voice: "Copyright 1906, by Augener & Co."

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.