Peter Warlock (1894–1930) is rightly famed for his 120 or so solo songs. They vary enormously in range, from the uproariously extrovert drinking songs, via those on pleasingly charming pastoral themes, and through tender love songs to the hauntingly sad and desolating songs of The Curlew. Another feature they share is that they are more often than not quite melodically distinguished and attractive.
The cue for arranging the nine songs of this volume as piano pieces came in the form of a piano transcription that Alec Rowley had made many years ago of Warlock’s song Milkmaids. Including the latter in a recent concert, it struck John Mitchell that a similar treatment might be extended to some of the other songs in Warlock’s output. The arrangements here may appeal especially to those pianists who greatly enjoy accompanying these songs, but may not always have a singer on hand to contribute the vocal line (the latter now being incorporated into the piano texture).
