"Love is the Key" [Helen Williams]

"Love is the Key" [Helen Williams]

First line of lyrics: Love, love is the key of life and death

Williams, Helen; music

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

2003 June [composition]; 2003 [copyright]

genre: song

solo: bass

chorus: SATB chorus

instrumentation: a cappella

initial sharps/flats: three flats

initial time signature: 4/4

female composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "A Song for the Least of all Saints"

Composition history: "Written in 2003 for the composer's husband's birthday" ("Love is the Key, by Helen Williams"). Nigel Williams, the composer's husband, elaborates, "My wife's grandmother owned a copy, which was the source of words when she, Helen Williams, wrote a church motet in 2003. It was her birthday present to me that year" (Williams).

Performance instructions: "freely, tenderly"

Performance history: "The piece was sung at the first communion service taken by Revd Paul Cody at St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton. The first performances were by the choir of St Martin's church, Epsom and then by Epsom Chamber Choir" ("Love is the Key, by Helen Williams").

Recordings: "Love is the Key." Lyrics by Christina Rossetti, performance by Epsom Chamber Choir, Michael Stevenson, conductor. 2018. SoundCloud, https://soundcloud.com/helenwilliamsatcanossa/love-is-the-key.

Dedication: "for my husband, Nigel"

Format 1: musical score

2 pages

Other data reference(s): "Love is the Key, by Helen Williams." Canossa, http://www.canossa.co.uk/Love.html. Accessed 19 April 2021.
Williams, Nigel. "Re: A Song for the Least of All Saints." Received by Mary Arseneau. 6 November 2020.

Cataloguer: Emily McConkey, University of Ottawa

musical score: "Love is the Key, by Helen Williams." Canossa, http://www.canossa.co.uk/Love.html. Accessed 19 April 2021.

This score is copyright protected. A score can be consulted here: "Love is the Key of Life and Death." Canossa, http://www.canossa.co.uk/Love.html. Accessed 19 April 2021.

Record: CRM-songfortheleast-williams

File(s): CRM-songfortheleast-williams.pdf

"Copyright © Helen Williams 2003." This score is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The score appears on this website by kind permission of composer Helen Williams.

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.