My 2015 voice recital was dedicated to 400 years worth of love songs. The one moment when I stepped away from that theme was when I sang a song in memory of a former voice student of mine, Nic Sluss- Rodionov, who was killed in a car accident earlier this year. This poignant masterpiece by Gerald Finzi (words by Shakespeare) is one of the songs he studied with me in his voice lessons at Carthage.
I performed nearly everything on this recital without music in front of me. The two songs for which I chose to use music was the Liszt (because the accompaniment is so complex and should not be simplified in any way) and this song by Finzi. In the case of the Finzi, I chose to use music because I thought it would help me keep my composure….. and it did.
The text: Fear no more the heat of the sun nor the furious winter’s rages. Thou thy worldly tasks has done. Home art gone and ta’en thy wages. Golden lads and girls all must as chimney sweepers come to dust. Fear no more the frown of the great. Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke. Care no more to clothe or eat. To thee the reed is as the oak. The scepter, learning, physic must all follow this and come to dust. Fear no more the lightning flash, nor the all-dreaded thunder stone. Fear not slander, censure, rash. Thou art finished joy and moan. All lovers young, all lovers must consign to thee and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee, nor no witchcraft charm thee. Ghost unlaid forebear thee. Nothing ill come near thee. Quiet consummation have, and renowned be thy grave.
This is an exceptionally moving song, and it really demonstrates what a superb song composer Gerald Finzi was. And whenever I sing it from now on, I will be thinking of Nic’s strong, warm, lush bass voice and the eloquent way he sang this.