Dear friends of English song,
I would like to recommend this coming BBC broadcast to you:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nt297Ian Venables is a Romantic at heart. Strong influence on his music had Ireland, Howells, Finzi and Barber. In recent years he has concentrated on writing song cycles.
This particular one, The Pine boughs past music, celebrates Ivor Gurney. Venables set three of his poems and a tribute by Leonard Clark.
See also his fine website which includes music samples and youtube links:
http://ianvenables.com