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- Iain Bell
Wombed Souls (2009)
- Chester Music Ltd (World)
Programme Note
Thomas Hardy wrote beautifully about the nature of womanhood in late-Victorian England as can be read in his many novels and collections of poetry. 'Wombed Souls' is a setting of three poems exploring this very theme. All these women are faced with the most dire of circumstances, but refuse to be defined by them and are steadfast in their resilience and defiance.
The first 'To an Unborn Pauper Child' is the expression of a poverty-stricken mother's fear and regret for the life her as-yet-unborn child is bound to live. This concern is musically represented by the downward falling, sighing chords of the piano part. Journeying through sorrow, fear and pain, she ultimately realises that in spite of all this possible hardship, the child will have boundless love and that counts above all else. 'The Dark-Eyed Gentleman' is the story of a young woman who was seduced by the dark-eyed gentleman of the title, resulting in a baby boy. Though she is shunned by those around her, she regrets nothing, as her son - now grown-up - is a fine young man and companion. Her pluckiness and brightness of spirit are characterised by an spritely ostinato in the piano that is developed throughout. The final poem 'The Orphaned Old Maid' is the tale of a woman who dedicate her life to looking after her father, but now faces a life alone following his death. The piano part is sparse, almost 'empty' in feel, reflecting the emotional void now all too present in her life.
The first 'To an Unborn Pauper Child' is the expression of a poverty-stricken mother's fear and regret for the life her as-yet-unborn child is bound to live. This concern is musically represented by the downward falling, sighing chords of the piano part. Journeying through sorrow, fear and pain, she ultimately realises that in spite of all this possible hardship, the child will have boundless love and that counts above all else. 'The Dark-Eyed Gentleman' is the story of a young woman who was seduced by the dark-eyed gentleman of the title, resulting in a baby boy. Though she is shunned by those around her, she regrets nothing, as her son - now grown-up - is a fine young man and companion. Her pluckiness and brightness of spirit are characterised by an spritely ostinato in the piano that is developed throughout. The final poem 'The Orphaned Old Maid' is the tale of a woman who dedicate her life to looking after her father, but now faces a life alone following his death. The piano part is sparse, almost 'empty' in feel, reflecting the emotional void now all too present in her life.