"Songs in a Corn-field" [G. A. Macfarren]

"Songs in a Corn-field" [G. A. Macfarren]

First line of lyrics: A song in a corn-field

Macfarren, G.A. [George Alexander]; music (English, 1813-1887)

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

1868 [composition]; 1885 [publication]

London: Novello and Company, Limited; New York: The H.W. Gray Co.

genre: cantata|choral music|song

solo: soprano|contralto

chorus: women's SC chorus

trio: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto

instrumentation: piano|harmonium|harp

initial sharps/flats: two flats

initial time signature: 6/8

origin: United Kingdom

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "Songs in a Cornfield"

Notes about the text: Christina Rossetti wrote a letter to Mr. Henry Leslie (the arranger of the first performance of the score) giving him permission to reprint her poem in his concert booklet, and Rossetti received a copy of the published score from Macfarren (Ives DM12).

Tempo markings: "Allegretto pastorale"

Performance instructions: "A cantata for female voices and accompaniment for pianoforte (with harmonium and harp ad libitum)"

Performance history: The cantata was performed for the first time in 1868, by Mr. Henry Leslie's Choir (Ives DM12). A notable performance was that at St. James' Hall in February 1869, which was attended by Frances Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, and Maria Rossetti (Chapman and Meacock 217). This 1869 performance was reviewed in the "Athenaeum," where it was "pronounced disappointing" (27 Feb 1869, p. 316). The reviewer recalls the "sad monotony in the music" and concludes that "the verses, by Miss Christina Rossetti, are quaint and fanciful, but they do not lend themselves gracefully to musical treatment" (p. 316). William Michael Rossetti, commenting on the same performance, writes that "to me, the music appeared truly beautiful; but I believe it did not take much with the public” (as qtd in Ives DM12). Nevertheless, the journal "Musical News" reported that the cantata was still being performed in 1899 (Ives DM12).

Dedication: "Dedicated to Miss E. D'oyley James"

Notes: This particular score is a new edition of the original published in 1869. The score is not dated, yet given that it offers both tonic sol-fa notation (as first advertised in the "Sonic Sol-fa Reporter" in 1881) and a harmonium and harp ad libitum (which was first reviewed in the "Musical Times" in 1885), it is possible to date this edition to 1885 (Ives DM12). (Note that this particular score does not contain tonic sol-fa notation or the harmonium and harp ad libitum; it only advertises them for an additional cost of 9d. for the tonic sol-fa notation, 2s. 6d. for the harmonium part, and 2s. for the harp part.) Ives notes that the songs "There Goes the Swallow" and "Deeper than the Hail can Smite" were also sold separately (DM12). The contents of the cantata are as follows: 1. "Songs in a Cornfield: Introduction and choral recitative"; 2. "Where is he gone to?: Chorus"; 3. "May sang with Rachel: Choral recitative"; 4. "Take the wheat in your arms: Trio (Sop., Mezzo-Sop., and Contralto)"; 5. "A silence of full noontide heat: Chorus"; 6. "While the reapers took their ease: Choral Recitative"; 7. "There goes the swallow: Song (Contralto)"; 8. "Then listless Marian raised her head: Chorus"; 9. "Deeper than the hail can smite: Song (Soprano)"; 10. "If he comes to-day: Chorus."

Format 1: musical score

Contains tonic sol-fa notation

53 pages

In reference to the published works below: Ives DM12; Gooch and Thatcher 4800

Reference: Ives, Maura. Christina Rossetti: A Descriptive Bibliography. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2011.

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): Chapman, Alison and Joanna Meacock. A Rossetti Family Chronology. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
The Athenaeum: Journal of Literature, Science, the Fine Arts, no. 2157, 27 February 1869, p. 316.

Cataloguer: Emma-Catherine Wilson and Emily McConkey, University of Ottawa

musical score: Royal Academy of Music Library, London

Record: CRM-songinsacornfield-macfarren

File(s): CRM-songsinacornfield-macfarren.pdf

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