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Work

Songs from 'Nelson' : for soprano and piano

by Ross Baglin and Stuart Greenbaum (2003, this version: 2005)

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Songs from 'Nelson'

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Score

Songs from 'Nelson' : for soprano and piano / Stuart Greenbaum ; libretto: Ross Baglin.

Library shelf no. 783.66542/GRE 7 [Available for loan]

Display all products featuring this work (4 more)  

Work Overview

In October 2005 it was two centuries since Horatio Nelson died while commanding the British Fleet off Cape Trafalgar. Throughout most of that time Nelson's victories and his heroic death were smoothly assimilated within Britain's twin vision of itself as imperial power, and plucky, often-isolated defender of liberty.

Nelson's story is almost archetypically 'operatic' in the old sense - it has passion, the horror of war, political intrigues, gross betrayal and heroic death set in a time of sweeping historical change. He was a man who espoused duty as the highest of values, yet abandoned a faithful wife for Emma Hamilton ; a man who showed sympathy to the wretched, yet orchestrated a terrible political massacre of civilians in Naples ; whose life was devoted to the sea though it often tortured him physically and mentally. And standing upon these stark psychological fissures, we have the man of precarious vanity, charisma, and thirst for personal danger and oblivion.

Work Details

Year: 2003, this version: 2005

Instrumentation: Soprano, piano.

Duration: 18 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Contents note: I. Behind the widow’s veil -- II. Queen of England -- III. Lullaby -- IV. Lanterns of illicit thought -- V. Emma’s dream -- IV. News from home.

Written for: Lotte Betts-Dean

Commission note: This suite of songs was assembled in 2015 for Lotte Betts–Dean.

In October 2005 it was two centuries since Horatio Nelson died while commanding the British Fleet off Cape Trafalgar. Throughout most of that time Nelson’s victories and his heroic death were smoothly assimilated within Britain’s twin vision of itself as imperial power, and plucky, often-isolated defender of liberty. Nelson’s story is almost archetypically ‘operatic’ in the old sense - it has passion, the horror of war, political intrigues, gross betrayal and heroic death set in a time of sweeping historical change.

He abandoned his faithful wife Fanny for Emma Hamilton. And Emma’s story also has a tragic rise and fall from public status. All but one of these arias is sung by Emma (the exception being the opening song, Behind the widow’s veil, voiced by Nelson’s wife, Fanny). What follows is a journey of mutual attraction, illicit liaison and finally the agony of separation.

Performances of this work

24 Oct 05: Exhibitional Hall, Australia House, London, UK. Featuring Trafalgar Ensemble.

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