Five Am'rous Sighs (1997)

Five Am’rous Sighs

These five songs were written to be performed at a private party celebrating the 60th birthday of John Valdimir Price, and were commissioned by him in memory of his mother, the singer Asalie Key Price. The poems reflect his fondness for the 18th century. Mary Wortley Montague was a friend of Pope, probably better known for her letters than her poems, which range from the heroic to the satirical. She was also the wife of a British ambassador, visited harems in Constantinople, and introduced inoculation in Britain. Matthew Prior was her contemporary, and his ironic wit makes him a good companion here.

Jonathan Dove