David Solomons

My latest publications for clarinet and guitar and for flute and guitar have the mysterious title "The Poem is the Song".

Of the five movements in this suite, four relate to 20th century poems, which I originally set for voice and classical guitar back in the innocent days when I didn't know much about copyright on poetry, but the poems have such strong rhythms and emotions that the melodies they evoked in me were sufficient even for non-verbal expression.
I therefore decided to give the melodies to wind instruments, which works very well. 
1. A goddess has just walked out/ Venus has left the building - based on Venus by Gavin Ewart
2. Across a Crowded Room based on The Worst of Loves by Douglas Dunn
3. Being but Men based on the poem by that name by Dylan Thomas
4 . This poem, Chantefable, is somewhat older and uses a variation on the original medieval tune of the Chantefable of Aucassin and Nicolette.
5. Henry King (The chief defect of Henry King was chewing little bits of string) by Hilaire Belloc


You can see videos illustrating two of these movements on youtube:

Chantefable: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06I-AKCyimM
using manuscript and ancient paintings relating to this medieval ballade



and Across a Crowded Room: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp4PZPBk5Ic
using footage from a public domain advert