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]
Star Candles (Head): The opening 5 bars sets up the material to be used to introduce the verses, but here it is heard in its entirety for the first and only time in the song. Head uses the first two-bar phrase to introduce the 2nd verse and the three-bar phrase (bar 3-5) to introduce the 3rd verse. This lends itself to a technique of short-term memory, i.e. recalling or anticipating material already heard, which gives the listener a sense of increased familiarity with the material, and hence heightened affection.
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],
Head also uses the rhythm to create a melodic line that recalls Gregorian Chant. The freedom to move between duple and triple time give the song the impression of simultaneously being unhurried while gently tumbling into the next phrase.
Head avoids the temptation to let his solo singer loose with a cadenza. He extends the passage we heard earlier in the song. It stretches, both in rhythm and range, but keeps a tight reign on the structure. We have a cadenza of sorts, but it is just a little vocal ornament to round off an exquisite miniature. This restraint at the same time perhaps prevents Head from reaching the popularity of more obviously “Pro-Voice” Engish song composers such as Britten or even Vaughan-Williams, while it raises him to the stature of a worthy composer who puts the song – not the singer – first.
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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