The Songs of Maude Valérie White
As part of our Heritage Records projects we are currently planning a recording of the songs of English composer Maude Valérie White (1855-1937).
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Although born near Dieppe in Normandy to upper middle-class parents, White and her family moved to England when she was only one year old. She played the piano from an early age. At seventeen she had already composed her first song.
In 1876 White went to the Royal Academy of Music. White was the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Mendelssohn Scholarship, which she received in 1879. She made her way by teaching piano, and by writing songs and playing them at galas and soirées
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Her setting of Shelley's My soul is an enchanted boat, published in 1882 has been described as one of the best of our language. Later in the 1890s her musical style developed and shifted to incorporate elements of music from her global travels.
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Whilst never explicitly stated by herself, White is now believed to have been gay and is connected with two notable singers of her era (Edith Stanley and Mary Wakefield). She was also connected to a group of musicians and artists that called themselves "The Souls" half of which included notable gay figures.
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In her last years, White wrote two memoirs, Friends and Memories, published 1914, and My Indian Summer, published 1932.
She died, aged 82, in 1937. She was interred in the churchyard of St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church, Sutton Green, Surrey.
Composer biography adapted from her Wikipedia entry
Our Recording Project
Maude Valérie White was recommended to us as a potential focus for future projects by our friend Chris Ball. His recommendation prompted us to investigate the music and recordings that were readily available to see if she was a good match for our Heritage Recordings. We found that throughout her life she wrote nearly two-hundred and fifty songs, of which we could only find a handful of recordings. The few songs that we could hear definitely put White onto our "to-do" list.
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We are currently in the process of gathering the sheet music for as many of her songs as we can so that we can work out what any kind of project(s) of her music we could achieve. The sheer number of songs likely goes beyond the realm of a "complete recording" but those decisions will only be made once we've located a comprehensive library of her music.
The Songs
Songs in red we are still sourcing the sheet music for.
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A la pelouse (Trois chansons tziganes) "Tolstoy, Leo"
Absent Yet Present "Lytton, Edward Bulwer"
Addio, Lucia. Capriote Coral-Fisherman's Song
Adieu Suzon "Musset, Alfred de"
Alter Traum, Ein. An Old Dream (Five Songs)
Amour fait ici bas la vie, L' (Chansonettes) "Pollock, Walter Henry"
Amour fidele "Prudhomme, Armand Sully"
An den Geliebten. To the Beloved (Five Songs)
Anfangs wollt' ich fast verzagen (Album of German Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
April's Lady "Swinburne, Algernon Charles"
Arme Suenderblum, Die (Twenty Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
Ask Not "Bingham, Graham Clifton"
Assis sur la verte colline
At her Spinning Wheel "Bellamy, W. H."
Au bord de l'eau "Prudhomme, Armand Sully"
Auf Wiederseh'n. We'll meet Again (Five Songs)
Aus meinen Thraenen spriessen. The Tears that Night and Morning "Heine, Heinrich"
Ave Maria
Ballad of the Ranks, A "Doyle, Arthur Conan"
Be Near Me When My Light Is Low (Four Songs from Tennyson) "Tennyson, Alfred"
Bonnie Lesley "Burns, Robert"
"Bonny Curl, A" "Rives, Amelie"
Canzoncina Pastorale
"Chantez, chantez jeune inspiree" "Hugo, Victor"
Come to Me in My Dreams "Arnold, Matthew"
Crabbed Age and Youth Shakespeare
Cradle Song
Cradle Song (Twelve Songs for Children)
Dass du mich Lieb hast (Twenty Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
Demain! "Silvestre, Armand"
"Depart du Conscrit, Le"
Des Kindes Abendgebet (Album of Six Songs)
"Devout Lover, The" "Pollock, Walter Henry"
Did One but Know "Rossetti, Christina G."
Divina Pruvidenza. Divine Providence (Album of Six Songs)
Douleurs divines (Three Songs) "Augier, Emile"
Dreams "Alexander, Cecil Frances, Mrs."
Du bist die Ruh. Thou Art My Rest "Rueckert, Friedrich" (Duet version discovered)
Du bist wie eine Blume "Heine, Heinrich"
Du fragst mich was ich sehen will "Strettell, Alma, trans."
Du Sternlein mein
"Earth Will Wake from Its Wint'ry Sleep, The" "Geibel, Emanuel von"
Er ist gekommen. Meeting and Parting "Rueckert, Friedrich"
Ere You Come. Italian Melody "Cholmondeley, Mary, Miss"
Es muss doch Fruehling werden "Geibel, Emanuel von"
Es war ein Koenig in Thule. There Was a King of Thule "Goethe, J. W.; trans."
Espoir en Dieu. Romance "Hugo, Victor"
"Exile's Song, An" "Boyle, M."
"Facheux, Un (Chansonettes)" "Pollock, Walter Henry"
Fairy Song (Twelve Songs for Children) "Bayley, T. H."
"Faithful Heart, A"
"Farewell Song, A"
"Farewell, If Ever Fondest Prayer" "Byron, Lord"
"Fifes of June, The (Two Songs)" "Henley, William Ernest"
"Finland Love Song, A"
"Flute invisible, La (Two Songs)" "Hugo, Victor"
"Foerste moedes soedme, Det (Twenty Songs)" "Bjornson, Bjornsterne; trans."
For England's Sake "Rodd, Rennell"
Forget Not Yet. A Supplication "Wyatt, Thomas, Sir"
"Foyer, Le. Withheld Desires (Two Songs)" "Verlaine, Paul"
Frithjof's Gesang. Slim As the Stalk of Any Flower "Tegner, Esias"
Fruhling und Liebe. Among the Roses "Fallersleben, Hoffmann von"
Glueck auf! God Speed! (Five Songs)
Go Lovely Rose! "Waller, Edmund"
"God Bless Thee, My Beloved" "Browning, Elizabeth B."
God with Us "Henley, William Ernest"
Goldne Bruecken (Twenty Songs) "Geibel, Emanuel von"
Gottliche Vorsehung (Album of Six Songs)
"Greeting, A" "Rueckert, Friedrich"
Heureux qui peut aimer "Hugo, Victor"
Hidden Love. Dulgt Kaerlighed. Norwegian Song "Bjornson, Bjornstjerne; trans."
"Himmelsaugen, Die (Album of German Songs)" "Heine, Heinrich"
Holy Thursday (Twelve Songs for Children) "Blake, William"
Home Thoughts from Abroad "Browning, Robert"
"Homes of England, The (Twelve Songs for Children)" "Hemans, Felicia"
Hor ich das Liedchen klingen. Whenever I Hear the Strain (Album of German Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
How Do I Love Thee? "Browning, Robert"
I Prithee Send Me Back My Heart. Canzonet "Suckling, John"
I Sometimes Hold It Half a Sin (Four Songs from Tennyson) "Tennyson, Alfred"
Ich bin dein. I Am Thine (Sechs Volkslieder)
Ich fuehle deinem Odem. I Feel Thy Breath's Strange Magic "Bodenstedt, Friedrich von; trans."
Ich habe gelebt und geliebt. I Have Lived and Loved "Schiller, Friedrich von; trans."
"Ich wollte, meine Lieder (Twenty Songs)" "Heine, Heinrich"
Ici-bas. Here Below "Prudhomme, Armand Sully"
Ihre Stimme. Her Voice "Rueckert, Friedrich"
Im wunderschoenen Monat Mai (Zwei Lieder von Heine) (Album of German Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
In dem Garten. In the Garden (Sechs Volkslieder)
In Golden June "Malcolm, Ian Z."
In the Summer Garden "Ross, Adrian"
Infinite Love "Rossetti, Dante Gabriel"
"Irish Colonel, The" "Doyle, Arthur Conan"
Isaotta Blanzesmano "D'Annunzio, Gabriele"
"It Is Na, Jean, Thy Bonnie Face" "Burns, Robert"
"John Anderson, My Jo" "Burns, Robert"
"Juengling liebt ein Maedchen, Ein. A Youth Once Loved a Maiden" "Heine, Heinrich"
Junge Liebe. The Spring Has Come
Kind! Es waere dein Verderben (Twenty Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
"Kindesengel, Der (Album of German Songs)" "Sturm, Julius"
King Charles. Cavalier Song "Browning, Robert"
Kleines Fruehlingslied. Little Spring Song "Heine, Heinrich"
Land of the Almond Blossom "Sharp, William"
"Lassie I Lo'e Best, The" "Burns, Robert"
Last Year (Two Songs) "Henley, William Ernest"
"Lay of the Links, A" "Doyle, Arthur Conan"
"Lead, Kindly Light. Sacred Song" "Newman, John Henry, Cardinal"
Leavetaking "Watson, William"
Lebewohl. Goodbye (Sechs Volkslieder)
Let Us Forget (Three Little Songs) "Darmesteter, Mme. [Mary F. Robinson]"
"Liebe, Liebe, ach die Liebe" "Petofi, Alexander"
Liebe. Love (Zwei Lieder von Heine) "Heine, Heinrich"
Little Boy Love "Doyle, Arthur Conan"
Little Lamb (Twelve Songs for Children) "Blake, William"
Little Pictures of School Life
Little Spring Song (Kleines Fruehlingslied) "Smith, B. F. Wyatt, trans."
Love in the Desert "Le Gallienne, Richard, trans."
Love Is and Was My Lord and King (For Songs from Tennyson) "Tennyson, Alfred"
Love Me To-day "Robinson, A. Mary F."
"Love Me, Sweet, With All Thou Art" "Browning, Elizabeth B."
Loving and True
Mailuefterl. May Breezes (Sechs Volkslieder)
Marching Along "Browning, Robert"
Mary Morison "Burns, Robert"
Mary's Ghost. A Pathetic Ballad "Hood, Thomas"
"Meer hat seine Perlen, Das. The Sea Hath Its Pearls" "Heine, Heinrich"
Meeting and Parting. Er ist gekommen "Rueckert, Friedrich"
"Meeting, The" "Moore, Thomas"
"Meilleure Morale, La"
"Memory, A (Three Little Songs)"
Mes jeunes gars (Trois chansons tziganes) "Tolstoy, Leo"
"Mie viole, Le. Arietta" "Rizzelli, Francesco"
Mit Kosen und Lieben (Twenty Songs) "Chamisso, A. von"
Mon petit lin' (Trois chansons tziganes) "Tolstoy, Leo"
Montrose's Love Song "Montrose, Marquess of"
Moonlight on the Valley "A., W."
"Morning of Life, The" "Moore, Thomas"
"Mother's Song, A"
Music's Strain. Song "Moore, Thomas"
"My ain Kind Dearie, O!" "Burns, Robert"
My Nannie. Song "Burns, Robert"
My Soul Is an Enchanted Boat. Recitative and Song "Shelley, Percy B."
Nurse's Song (Twelve Songs for Children) "Blake, William"
O hur vidgas ej ditt Broest
O Were My Love Yon Lilac Fair "Burns, Robert"
Old England (Twelve Songs for Children) "Massey, Gerald"
"Old Grey Fox, The" "Doyle, Arthur Conan"
On the Fields of France "McEachern, N."
Ophelia's Song Shakespeare
"Orticello, L' (Two Songs, 2)"
Petit Pied Rose. Little Rosy Foot
Pourquoi. Chanson "Silvestre, Armand"
Prayer for Mary. Adapted to a Livonian Folksong
Priere "Prudhomme, Armand Sully"
"Protest, A. Song" "Bridges, Robert"
Puisqu'ici bas toute ame "Hugo, Victor"
Quand on est deux. Together "LaMartine, Alphonse de"
Quand viendra le jour "Navarre, Marguerite de"
"Reconciliation, The" "Symonds, John Addington"
"Risposta, La"
"Sceptre of June, The" "Henley, William Ernest"
"Schnee ist glatt, Der. The Snow Lies Thick (Twenty Songs)" "Petofi, Sandor; trans."
Semper fidelis. Until "Chappell, Marion"
Serenata Espanola
"Sheepfold, The (Twelve Songs for Children)" "Bowles, William Lisle"
Si j'etais Dieu (Three Songs) "Prudhomme, Armand Sully"
Sie liebten sich Beide (Twenty Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
Since I Am Her's
"Sleep, Sleep, Beauty Bright (12 Songs for Children)" "Blake, William"
So We'll Go No More A Roving "Byron, Lord"
Slumber Song. Buon riposo "Sharp, William"
Soft Lesbian Airs [also: Soft Lydian Airs] "Kelley, J. F."
"Sommer im Herzen. Tis Glowing, Rosy Summer (Twenty Songs)" "Heine, Heinrich"
Song and Music "Rossetti, Dante Gabriel"
"Song of the Sahara, A" "Hichens, Robert S."
"Sonne kommt, Die" "Rueckert, Friedrich"
Sonnenuntergang. Sunset (Sechs Volkslieder)
Sorrento (Twenty Songs) "Snoilsky, Carol Johan Gustaf"
Sound of the Flute (Twelve Songs for Children) "Blake, William"
Spanish Cradle Song "Caballero, Fernan"
"Spanish Love Song, A"
"Spring Has Come, The"
Stand to Your Horses. Cavalier Song "Melville, George J. Whyte"
"Stern, Ein. A Star (Album of Six Songs)"
Stille Thränen (Album of German Songs) "Kerner, Justinius"
"Story and the Poet, The"
Sturm, Der
"Sueno, Une [sic]. A Dream"
"Summer Is Past and Over, The" "Vogel, Jetty (Henrietta Bird)"
"Summer Woods, The (Twelve Songs for Children)" "Howitt, Mary"
"Sunshine of My Heart, The" "Blind, Mathilde"
"Sweet Story of Old, The (Twelve Songs for Children)" "Luke, Mrs."
"Sweetheart, Farewell. Song" "Jenkins, Ruthven"
"Taube Muetterlein, Das. Mother Love" "Halm, F."
There Are Days That No One Can Forget
There Be None of Beauty's Daughters "Byron, Lord"
There's a Bower of Roses "Moore, Thomas"
Thine Is My Love
"Throstle, The" "Tennyson, Alfred"
Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost (Four Songs from Tennyson) "Tennyson, Alfred"
To a Little Child "Strettell, Alma, trans."
To Althea from Prison "Lovelace, Richard"
To Blossoms (Two Songs) "Herrick, Robert"
To brune Ojne (Twenty Songs) "Andersen, Hans Christian"
To Corinna Singing "Campion, Thomas"
To Daffodils "Herrick, Robert"
To Electra "Herrick, Robert"
To God. Song "Herrick, Robert"
To His Beloved "Aldrich, Thomas Bailey"
To Lesbia "Rodd, Rennell"
To Mary "Shelley, Percy B."
"To Music, to Becalm His Fever" "Herrick, Robert"
Tod und Leben (Album of German Songs) "Siebel, Karl"
Ton nom (Three Songs) "Prudhomme, Armand Sully"
"Tortorella sconsolata (Two Songs, 2)"
"Treue Herz, Das (Twenty Songs)" "Petofi, Sandor; trans."
Under the Moon. Song "Houghton, Robert, Lord"
Unexpected Joy. Song "Gay, R., adapted by"
Victorious Charm. Charme vainqueur "Hugo, Victor"
Voices of the Children. Song "Blake, William"
Waiting. Song "Symonds, John Addington"
Wanderlied. Wanderer's Song (Five Songs)
Warme Luefte when. Balmy Breezes Blow (Twenty Songs) "Petofi, Sandor; trans."
Weit uber das Meer (Twenty Songs)
Wenn deine Auge freundlich (Album of German Songs) "Sturm, Julius"
Wer zum ersten Mal liebt (Twenty Songs) "Heine, Heinrich"
"What I Do, and What I Dream" "Browning, Elizabeth B."
When Delia on the Plain Appears "Lyttelton, George"
When June Is Past "Carew, Thomas"
When Love Began "Symonds, John Addington"
When Passion's Trance "Shelley, Percy B."
When Songs Have Passed Away "Walton, Ellis"
When the Old Land Goes Down to War "Massey, Gerald"
When the Swallows Homeward Fly (Three Little Songs)
When Twilight Dews "Moore, Thomas"
When You Return. Song "Coxford, Arthur Philip"
Why Was Cupid a Boy? "Blake, William"
"Widow Bird Sate Mourning, A" "Shelley, Percy B."
Wird er wohl noch meiner Gedenken? (Album of German Songs)
Wirthin und Betyar (Twenty Songs) "Petofi, Sandor; trans."
"Wolken, Die (Twenty Songs)" "Petofi, Sandor; trans."
Ye Cupids Droop Each Little Head "Byron, Lord"
"Zigeuner, Die. Hungarian Gypsy Song" "Petofi, Alexander"