Hyperion Records

The two Romances were published in 1913 and 1917 respectively by Joseph Williams. Both are dedicated to the composer’s wife. The first is an affectingly simple piece in which harmonic ingenuity serves primarily to vary continual reiteration of the gentle opening phrase. It is not hard to imagine this taking on verbal form; indeed, the idea might have been conceived as a wordless cipher for some privately familiar phrase of endearment.

The second Romance, initially more hymn-like or processional in character, rises eventually to an unexpectedly elevated climax enhanced by halved note values from a dotted rhythm in the opening melody. After a recapitulation the piece ends peacefully in a tenderly unhurried coda.

from notes by Francis Pott © 1996