The Sound of the English Picturesque

Revealing the connections between the veneration of national landscape and eighteenth-century English vocal music, this study restores English music's connections with the picturesque. This book explores this gap, and shows how secular song, the glee, and national theatre music expressed a uniquely English engagement with landscape.

Stephen Groves completed his PhD at Southampton University in 2012. He previously held posts as Teacher of Academic Music and Head of Strings at Merchant Taylors' School, and Director of Music at Watford Grammar School for Girls. He is currently editor of www.greatbritishwine.com.

List of figures List of musical examples Acknowledgements Introduction PART I 1 Coloured for sight and sound: picturesque landscapes and the muse 2 An English picturesque absence? 3 The abstract and the colloquial picturesque PART II 4 Walks and prospect views: solo song and the glee in England 5 From Lake Windermere to the Bay of Naples: picturesque scenery, subjects and situations in English musical theatre 6 The picturesque oratorio: Haydn's art in nature's clothing Epilogue Bibliography Index