Fand Catalogue

  

Bright Clouds

Four Edward Thomas Songs

for voice and piano

John Mitchell

Edward Thomas (1878–1917) is best known as a poet but was unusual in that he only started writing verse near the end of 1914 at the relatively late age of 36. Prior to that he had some success since 1897 as a prolific critic, biographer, writer on travel and nature and – with a single title to his credit – novelist. Much of his poetry is colloquial in style and often features aspects of the English countryside. In a two-and-a-half-year window (from 1914 until his death in action at the Battle of Arras in April 1917) he penned a total of 142 poems, the most well-known perhaps being Adlestrop and Lights out, both having been set to music by several composers.

Bright Clouds consists of four settings of Thomas’ verse, the first one written for his elder daughter, Bronwen. The places mentioned here are all in the Romford area of Essex (where Thomas had been posted following his enlistment in 1915). All four allude in various ways to his keen observations of nature and the rural English scene—to an early gathering-in of various spring flowers; to dust on nettles in a deserted farmyard; to an avian awareness of the passing of winter; and to the timeless sight of hawthorn blossom being gradually blown down onto a pond’s surface.

Bright Clouds has been recorded by Lorna Windsor, soprano and William Hancox, piano on the At the Open Door CD (these tracks may be heard below).

Sample pages

(Click to enlarge)

		Composer	Title	Vocal range	Forces	Total duration
		John Mitchell	Bright Clouds Four Edward Thomas Songs for voice and piano	C to E'	Voice, Piano	6¼ mins
	#	Composer	Movement		Forces	Duration
	1	John Mitchell Words: Edward Thomas	1. Pyrgo and Lapwater		Voice, Piano	2 mins
	2		2. Farmyard Nettles			1½ mins
	3		3. Rooks View			¾ minute
	4		4. Falling May			2 mins

Recorded performance

Lorna Windsor, Soprano, William Hancox, Piano

Catalogue code: FM267 • Published: 21st July 2023
Entry last updated: 20th April 2025