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The distinguished English composer Maurice Greene was appointed Master of the King’s Music in 1735. He soon composed a series of 25 sonnet settings taken from the collection of 89 Amoretti (‘little loves’) written by Edmund Spenser, one of the greatest poets of the Shakespearean age. These settings show Greene to have been a master of word-painting technique, and a subtle colourist with a sensitive ear for Spenser’s verse. This jewel of a collection is also historically important, as it can be considered one of the earliest song cycles in the history of English music.
Maurice Greene: Spenser's Amoretti
No. 1. After so long a race
No. 2. Happy ye leaves
No. 3. Faire Eyes
No. 4. Ye tradefull merchants
No. 5. The rolling wheele
No. 6. The merry Cuckow
No. 7. How long shall this like dying life endure
No. 8. The Laurell leafe
No. 9. Like as a ship
No. 10. What guile is this
No. 11. Arion
No. 12. Sweet smile
No. 13. Marke when the smiles
No. 14. The Love which me so cruelly tormenteth
No. 15. Trust not the treason of those smiling lookes
No. 16. Fayre cruell
No. 17. Faire yee be sure
No. 18. Thrise happy she
No. 19. After long stormes
No. 20. Like as a huntsman
No. 21. Fresh Spring
No. 22. One day I wrote her name upon the strand
No. 23. Lacking my love
No. 24. Since I did leave the presence of my love
No. 25. Like as the Culver
5th January 2013
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“The young English tenor Hulett has the ideal fresh voice to champion these neglected gems...The music is elegantly crafted rather than profound, but Greene’s melodic facility and response to the texts — whether joyous, wistful, hopeful or pensive — constantly delight”
February 2013
“In the Amoretti [Greene] respnods strongly to Spenser's imagery and there are numerous sensitive and subtle mood-shifts, but Greene can also see beyond the words occasionally...Hulett gives a good and committed account of them, though gets a word wrong here and there. His voice is essentially a pleasant one...and he is firmly backed by a continuo team who vary the textures intelligently. An interesting find, this”
January 2013
“Benjamin Hulett sings these songs with an engagement that certainly adds value to the literary subtlety of the text...Amoretti can be regarded as being the first English song-cycle. As such, it sets an impressive benchmark that subsequent composers have often failed to better.”
February 2013
“[Hulett's] light, perfectly tuned tone (occasionally reminding me of a young Martyn Hill) seems absolutely right for this repertory. His diction is impeccable, as is his effortless communication of the shape and phraseology of Spencer's [sic] verse...It's a telling addition to the early history of English song, very beautifully recorded.”
No. 1. After so long a race
