Lullay my liking (Gustav Holst)

Lullay my liking Music by Gustav Holst The Gesualdo Six - - - About the music ‘Lullay my liking’ was written by Gustav Holst for a Whitsun festival in Thaxted. The refrain is an early example of an English lullaby; the term ‘lullaby’ is thought to have originated in the sounds made to calm fretful children—in this case ‘lu lu’ or ‘la la’, or ‘bye bye’ as heard in the similarly ancient Coventry Carol. Though it is known that Holst preferred each verse to be sung by the same soprano soloist, here we have assigned each verse to a different singer to bring out the nuances of the text. [Programme note: Owain Park © 2019] - - - We have recorded this work on our festive album, ‘Christmas’: a programme that reaches across the ages inspired by the mystery and joy of the festive season. CD available online: Download on iTunes: - - - Filmed at St James Sussex Gardens, London in December 2022 by Hafren Park