Poet: William Blake (1757-1827)
Source: A Charm of Lullabies
Date of Composition: 1947 (Nov.-17 Dec.)
Publication: A Charm of Lullabies; Boosey & Hawkes, 1949
Voice Difficulty Level: Moderately Difficult
Subject: Go to sleep, now, or horrible things will happen!
Range: A#3 – E5
Tessitura: D4 – C#5
Tempo: Largamente – ad libitum; 4/4
Duration: 01:34
Vocal Characteristics: Awkward intervals; scalar in nature with unanticipated scale tones; slow, jumpy, aggressive section;
Piano Difficulty Level: Difficult
Accompaniment Characteristics: 7/4 meter distorts the downbeat of the sequence in the left hand which consistently alternates with off beat eighth note clusters; rolled chords; tremolo chords
Additional Comments: Meter and tempo changes; Britten Thematic Catalog http://www.brittenproject.org/works/BTC1013