The words of
October Valley (1951) are by Nancy Bush (1907–1991). It was dedicated to Kathleen Ferrier, whom Head had met in 1944 when he accompanied her for a BBC broadcast. He recognized her consummate musicianship and she included this and other songs by him in her repertoire. The song is riven with melancholy, bound together by a refrain heard on the piano.
from notes by Andrew Burn © 2012
