The CD opens with three songs—"End of Boyhood," "A Young Man's Appeal," and "Who Are These Children?"—that thematically explore the transition from childhood to adulthood. Benjamin Britten's "Six Hölderlin Fragments" and his only Goethe song, "At Midnight," also reflect the theme of the passage of time. Similarly, Gerald Finzi's settings of Hardy's poems and the shorter Hölderlin verses address this temporal dimension and examine its influence on human existence.
While Hardy's poems, despite their inherent pessimism, offer a degree of solace, Hölderlin grapples with spiritual interpretations of life, particularly evident in "The Lines of Life." Britten takes up these themes and employs musical metaphors to illustrate the transience of time and the ephemeral nature of existence. The combination of Hardy and Hölderlin creates a profound emotional impact in the songs.
Tippett's cycle "Boyhood's End" explores the process of maturation through W.H. Hudson's autobiographical texts. The musical structure shows clear influences from Purcell, as well as an engagement with time and personal memory. Tippett's musical approach departs from Romantic traditions and turns to earlier musical styles and jazz elements.
A master of composition, Britten creates meticulously crafted song cycles that respond to the language of the poets he sets to music. His settings of Hölderlin's poems and Scottish songs reveal his adaptability to the melody of language and cultural context. Particularly in "Who Are These Children?", Britten reflects on the duality of war, transience, and human nature.
The connection between Finzi and Hardy's texts is as fruitful as that between great song-composer pairings such as Schumann/Heine or Wolf/Mörike. Finzi's settings are characterized by a delicate musical tapestry that harmoniously complements Hardy's poetic language, creating a profound symbiosis.
Benjamin Britten's "Six Hölderlin Fragments" demonstrate his deep connection to the German texts. His musical interpretation reveals echoes of Hugo Wolf and Schumann. The songs capture the subtle nuances of Hölderlin's poetry and showcase Britten as an exceptionally sensitive composer.