Colin Hodgetts

Wm Blake's SONGS of INNOCENCE & EXPERIENCE Colin Hodgetts

"Jerusalem" is William Blake's best-known and best-loved poem. Also popular, though not quite as well-known, are "The Lamb" and "The Tiger". The first is a Song of Innocence, the second a Song of Experience. Acquaintance with the other forty-three poems in the cycle reveals them to be gems of equal brilliance. Blake is reported to have sung his songs at domestic gatherings, adapting well-known ballad or hymn tunes, or perhaps popular songs he may have encountered in Vauxhall Gardens. He was not very keen on "art" music. Many composers have set individual poems. Here, however, are settings of the complete collection in a style that takes inspiration from folk music and other popular genres. It will be seen how well they complement each other. Each one may be simple in itself but when all are put together we have a profound exposition of the complexity of the human condition.