さらに歌い継がれるキーツの「つれなき美女」 : 合唱曲に翻案された事例とその意義

In the late 19th century, the works of Romantic poet John Keats underwent reevaluation. Initially being popular among the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood artists, Keats’ poetry found new life in various musical compositions by contemporary British composers. This paper delves into the reasons why Keats’ “La Belle Dame sans Merci, a ballad” was transformed into a madrigal during the early 20th century by one of Britain’s outstanding composers, Charles Hubert Parry.
The essay begins by introducing the preceding adaptation of the same poem by Parry’s rival, Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford. Subsequently, we explore Parry’s musical style, literary preferences, and his approach to incorporating poetry. Influenced significantly by contemporary German composers like Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner, Parry’s pro-German sentiments were deeply affected by World War I. Notably, the madrigal was performed in 1915, a year before the war’s outbreak, potentially intertwining the image of suffering soldiers on the battlefield with that of the palely wandering knight depicted in the poem.
Drawing insights from Parry’s musical compositions and his daughter’s memoirs, we discover his fascination with Romantic poetry, as well as works by Shakespeare and other renowned poets. Parry’s interest in Keats and Shelley intensified during the Keats Shelley Festival of 1912, an event held to acquire the building in Rome where Keats had passed away. In a creative endeavor, he composed ballet music inspired by Shelley’s“ Song of Proserpine, whilst gathering flowers on the plain of Enna”. The festival also provided an opportune moment for Parry and his contemporaries to delve further into Keats’ literary legacy.
In the latter part of this paper, after discussing the background that led to Parry’s commission to compose a madrigal for the Bristol Madrigal Society, we delve into the question of who specifically chose John Keats’ ballad, “La Belle Dame sans Merci,” as the musical inspiration. The society had planned a concert in 1915 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their principal conductor, Daniel Wilberforce Rootham. Given Parry’s strong relationship with the society, it is not surprising that he received the request. However, the mystery lies in the identity of the poem’s selector and the reasons behind their choice.
While it might seem logical that the composer himself made the selection, influenced by the various works showcased during the Keats Shelley Festival, circumstantial evidence suggests an alternative perspective. The poem’s ultimate choice could be attributed to the society. Notably, La Belle Dame sans Merci, painted by Frank Bernard Dicksee in 1901, found its way to Bristol through the generosity of Mrs. Yda Richardson. Mrs. Richardson, a member of the influential Wills family of Bristol, donated the Romantic painting in 1913— merely a year before Parry completed the composition of the requested madrigal. Thus, we can infer that the timely donation of this evocative artwork played a pivotal role in the poem’s selection for Parry’s musical endeavor.