Music archive entry

A setting of eight poems by Eugenio Montale, in English translation. Montale was the leading Italian poet of the Twentieth Century. He was brought up, and lived, on the Mediterranean coast near Genoa. The songs all refer to the sea, and the first seven refer to the Mediterranean.

The song cycle reflects a journey, apparent in the writings of Montale, from an identification with place and landscape, and isolation from communication with people, towards the establishment of real human relationships. Premiered at the Dulwich Festival in 1995, and performed at the London Docklands Festival in 1997.