Folk Songs of the Four Seasons

For treble chorus and piano. This cantata features 16 highly varied folk song settings bound together in seasonal groupings to take the listener on an engaging journey through the year from spring to winter. The prologue implores us to "sing and be merry," and many of the songs facilitate this with their charmingly lighthearted melodies and imaginative orchestral accompaniment. There are also darker moments, such as the haunting and heart-rending setting of The Unquiet Grave in "Autumn." For this comprehensive new edition, the editor has drawn on all available sources, providing an authoritative full score with critical commentary. This edition also makes available new materials for the version for string orchestra and piano as well as a new vocal score.