"The Song of May" [Catharine A. Ranken]

"The Song of May" [Catharine A. Ranken]

First line of lyrics: The world and I are far too full of bliss

Part of: "Twelve Songs from The Months, A Pageant, Poetry by Christina Rossetti"

Ranken, Catharine Adelaide; music (English, 1841-1918)

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

1882 [publication]

London: Duncan Davison & Co.

genre: song|song cycle

solo: voice

instrumentation: piano

initial sharps/flats: three flats

initial time signature: 6/8

origin: United Kingdom

female composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "The Months: A Pageant"

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.

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

Tempo markings: "Andante grazioso"

Dedication: "Dedicated to Mrs. Dymond."

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.

Format 1: musical score

4 pages (pp. 13-16)

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

Musical score: British Library, London

Record: CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-5

File(s): CRM-monthsapageant-ranken-5.pdf

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