The Long Day Closes

Brisol Beacon, 4th July, 2015.

Before he started writing comic operas with W.S. Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan composed a number of part-songs; the best-known of these is The Long Day Closes, written in 1868. The words, written by Sullivan’s friend and collaborator Henry Fothergill Chorley, are about the end of life; so not surprisingly, the song was often sung at funerals of members of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. As with Sweet and Low, the sentiments expressed in both the words and the vocal arrangement are very characteristically Victorian.

Sullivan originally intended The Long Day Closes to be sung by a small male-voice ensemble. Sorry Art. Hope you like this gurt version!