Maurice Greene: 25 Sonnet Settings Taken From Spenser’s Amoretti

"The young English tenor Hulett has the ideal fresh voice to champion these neglected gems...The music is elegantly crafted rather than profound, but Greene's melodic facility and response to the texts - whether joyous, wistful, hopeful or pensive - constantly delight"
- The Times, 5th Jan 2013

The distinguished English composer Maurice Greene was appointed Master of the King's Music in 1735. He soon composed a series of 25 sonnet settings taken from the collection of 89 Amoretti ('little loves') written by Edmund Spenser, one of the greatest poets of the Shakespearean age. These settings show Greene to have been a master of word-painting technique, and a subtle colourist with a sensitive ear for Spenser's verse. This jewel of a collection is also historically important, as it can be considered one of the earliest song cycles in the history of English music.