Three Chaucer Songs

For the music director of His Majesty's Theatre in London, Bennett chose to set the three poems of "Merciless Beauty," ascribed to Geoffrey Chaucer, the "Father of English Literature" of "Canterbury Tales" fame. Bennett intended the work "for women's voice or voices," and it is here presented for soprano voice solo with string quartet. Bennett concurrently prepared a voice and piano version.   It was composed and first performed by the Société Musicale Indépendante in Paris, where Bennett, his wife, and daughter were living. In America it was performed on the evening of 13 April 1932 at the first Yaddo Festival of Contemporary Music in Saratoga Springs, NY.