- Composed July 2021
- Thomas Hardy
- Peter Burton
- Scored for Tenor solo and keyboard
- Difficulty: Difficult
Thomas Hardy’s famous poem was written at the end of the 20th Century. It had been a bleak century and people were looking for a new hope. Thomas Hardy tries to capture this mood in the poem. The harsh winter signifies the prevailing struggle but the thrush gives us hope even though it is uncertain where this will come from. I find this true today. In the Winter months, the robin often sings and breaks into the gloom.
In my musical interpretation, the vocal line is almost a folk song but the keyboard paints the words – the gloom of the winter day, the song of the thrush. I end my piece on a positive note. Although the protagonist cannot understand the joy of the thrush, nevertheless the bird has entered his dark world and must bring some glimmer of hope.