The Marriage of True Minds

The Marriage of True Minds is an emotive setting of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116, a favorite text for weddings. Chilcott presents two distinct musical characters: the music for the first quatrain is warm, passionate, and optimistic, featuring changing meters and rich harmonies, while the music for the second and third quatrains is contemplative yet resolute, featuring running triplets in the accompaniment. The closing couplet is a fusion of both characters, leading to a heartfelt, touching finale.