Star Candles (1942) – Music: Michael Head (1900-1976) /Text: Margaret Rose (1936)
Margaret Rose (died 1958) wrote the words of Star Candles (1942). The poem refers to the constellation ‘The Southern Cross’, which in South Africa is also known as ‘Star Candles’, following an old belief that each of the five pointers denotes a gift to the Christ Child. Head responds with a beguiling melody. [from notes on Hyperion Records by Andrew Burn © 2012]
While not applied absolutely strictly, the song is predominantly in the Aeolian mode. The song is in D minor, but the leading tone C# is often flattened to a C natural. This gives the song a sacred quality, reminiscent of a Madrigal from an older era. [Read More Here],
The song rocks along in an unhurried “Allegretto Tranquillo” with no faster semiquaver notes or longer sustained tones, further emphasising the feel of an ancient chant, making this song more reminiscent of a Christmas Carol than a pure Art Song. Rounded off by a charming Tierce de Picardi, this is one of Head’s most beautifully imagined miniatures; a tender Lullaby for Baby Jesus.
Star Candles — Michael Head
The sun’s in his cradle,
The bird’s in her nest,
The Shepherds are calling
The lambs home to rest.
Go, sleep little Jesus!
The wind’s riding by
To set all the candles
Alight in the sky.
A candle for Kingship,
Sweet laughter it brings
And mirth’s golden music,
The riches of Kings.
Go sleep little Jesus!
The wind’s riding by
To set all the candles
Alight in the sky
But oh! in the skytop
Up there I can see
A cross, it’s shining,
It’s shining on thee,
Go sleep, little Jesus!
The wind’s riding by
To set all the candles
Alight in the sky.
Barlow Bradford’s Utah Chamber Artists sing his arrangement of “Star Candles”
Michael Head was born in Eastbourne, UK to a journalist and barrister father and a mother who was an accomplished amateur singer and pianist. He started music lessons formally at 10 and went on to study Composition and Organ at the Royal Academy of Music. Curiously, given its importance in his subsequent career, he did not study singing any further while there. Head gave his first public recital as a self-accompanied singer at Wigmore Hall in 1929. After this debut performance, his fame grew rapidly. He gave several more recitals in the British Isles and in many parts of the world. Additionally he gave several radio recitals, both in Britain and Canada. He became Professor in Piano at the Royal Academy in 1927, a post he held until his retirement in 1975.
Head was appointed as an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. This position required him to travel to many different countries, including South Africa and Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia). At the outbreak of World War II, he returned to London and continued teaching throughout the blitz. During this time, he gave hundreds of concerts in factories and in small towns. Head died in Cape Town whilst examining for the Associated Board in Rhodesia and South Africa, from a sudden and unexpected illness on 24 August 1976. [Bush, N., 1982, Michael Head: Composer, singer and pianist, Kahn & Averill, London. ISBN 978-0-900707-73-5.]
The largest part of Head’s output as a composer was songs. A comprehensive list of his 85 songs, plus texts, can be found in Singer’s Heaven, at Recmusic.org. Given such a large song output, it is not surprising that Christmas Songs would feature.
Other famous examples of Head’s brand of Art Song/Christmas Carol are:
The Little Road to Bethlehem (“As I walked down the road at set of sun”), set to words by Margaret Rose, and
Slumber Song of the Madonna: (Sleep little baby, I love thee) set to words by Alfred Noyes.
From the romantic ballad to fully fledged artsong, Head’s range is quite impressive.
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