Spring, The Sweet Spring

for female/children’s choir and water-tuned glasses

Listen

Spring, the Sweet Spring is a hymn of praise to springtime.

Year
2012
Commissioner
Netherlands Youth Choir and conductor Wilma ten Wolde for the 15th anniversary of the choir
Text
Thomas Nashe (c 1567–1601)
Language
English
Instrumentation
SSS soli, SSSAAA
Duration
3 min 30 sec
Performances
Netherlands Youth Choir and Kaspars Putniņš on 30 June 2012
Recordings
Nationaal Vrouwen Jeugdkoor, Nederlands Kamerkoor & Cappella PratensisMissa Unitatis

Eriks Ešenvalds sets a text that Britten also chose for his Spring Symphony. The Latvian composer goes further, and more literally, in producing birdsong at the end of each verse, and its rhythmic incarnation at the end of the work is delightful. (William Hedley)