Loin du pays was composed and first published in England; the composer’s own words are openly autobiographical. It is surprising that Mrs Weldon allowed such a public avowal of her house composer’s emotional plight. The pentatonic nature of the vocal line and the extreme simplicity of the accompaniment make it an extremely convincing pastiche of folksong style—a haunting refrain that seems to be age-old rather than newly minted.
from notes by Graham Johnson © 1993
;)
