Hugh Benham: Songs for Times and Seasons

Performed by soprano Amy Carson and pianist Nicola Rose, Hugh Benham’s Times and Seasons is a lyrical cycle of four songs inspired by the changing year, setting evocative verse by the 18th and 19th century English poets Christina Rossetti, Emily Brontë, Thomas Hardy and Walter de la Mare. Vivid musical imagery captures the fleeting beauty of spring, the endurance of friendship, the melancholy of autumn rain, and the mystery of twilight dreams.

This recording also includes three contrasting William Blake settings, from pastoral innocence to visionary intensity, showcasing Hugh Benham’s expressive range and sensitivity to text.