| What then is Love? Four Modern Madrigals for High Voice, Clarinet in A and Piano |
|
|---|---|
| Date of composition | Spring 1956/Winter 1957 |
| Opus number | 26c |
| Type of work | Concert music |
| Duration | 6 mins |
| Musical forces | High Voice, Clarinet in A and Piano |
| Words | Various |
| First performance | 9th May 1962 |
| First performance information | The Klarion Trio (Jean Broadley, soprano; Cyril Chapman, clarinet; Eileen Nugent, piano) at Carshalton Hall, Carshalton, Surrey |
| Publication status | Out of print |
| Notes | Originally published by Mills Music; republished by Roberton; songs are: 1. Western wind, when will thou blow? (Anon.); 2. Tell me, where is fancy bred? (William Shakespeare); 3. Stay, O sweet, and do not rise! (John Donne); 4. Love is a sickness full of woes (Samuel Daniel) |
…once the modern idiom has been assimilated, the cycle is most rewarding.
—Making Music, Autumn 1960
Though technically not easy to perform, they are well worth the effort to prepare for public performance, for they will not only prove enjoyable to learn, but will give pleasure to an audience.
—Teachers’ World, 24th March 1961
…the third, Stay, O sweet, and do not rise!, has a certain sombre, esoteric appeal, and the last, Love is a sickness full of woes, exhibits some lively part-writing and some telling harmonic effects…
—The Croydon Advertiser, 16th May 1963
Of considerable interest were three works by Carey Blyton: Love is a sickness, Stay, O sweet and The Silly Flea. Here we had mature, sonorous music well laid out for the voices and interesting to both singers and listeners … these delightful works, of which The Silly Flea received a first performance.
—Kentish Times, 8th April 1966