Epigrams, Epitaphs – Carol Barnett

Composer: Carol Barnett Text by: Matthew Prior (1664-1721), John Gay (1685-1732), Samuel Wesley (1691-1739), Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford (1717-1797), Ben Jonson (1572-1637) Instrumentation: SATB, 4-hand piano Duration: c. 16:00    -- 1) The Lady Who Offers Her Looking-Glass to Venus [c 1:45]    -- 2) My Own Epitaph [c 2:45]    -- 3) On the Setting Up Mr. Butler’s Monument... [c 3:00]    -- 4) Epitaph of Two Piping-Bullfinches... [c 3:00]    -- 5)  On My First Son [c 3:30] Date Written:  1987 Composer’s note: Epigrams, Epitaphs was commissioned in 1986 by the Grand Rapids [MN] Area Community Chorus, which wanted a new work for a program that also included the Liebeslieder Waltzes. This was the impetus for the four-hand piano accompaniment as well as the inspiration for the fourth song, stylistically an homage to Brahms. Looking for texts, I found Ben Jonson’s “On My First Son” and fell in love with it. This poem sets the tone for the entire work; all of the texts deal in some way wit