This is one of the songs I'm singing for my DipABRSM in December, but I thought it would be relevant to the research point on folk-song arrangements as it is an arrangement of a Norfolk folk-song.
The interesting thing about this song is what Warlock does with the accompaniment. The song itself repeats a very similar melody over and over again with different words. Instead of repeating the accompaniment, Warlock changes the accompaniment each time; the chords are the shape, but he changes the shape and style of the counter melody in the right hand and the bass line in the left.
Of particular interest is the start of the fourth verse, where the harmonies in the accompaniment become very elaborate. Warlock is renowned for writing almost unplayable piano accompaniments, and this becomes very evident here. First hand accounts say that he was an alcoholic and used to marvel at the harmonic changes he could write in his pieces, but he would play them at a very slow pace so that those listening could fully appropriate the harmonies he was creating. Unfortunately, when you play it up to speed (minim = 108 in this case) it becomes very difficult to play.
That aside, he's able to put a very modern element into this traditional folk-song and it creates a very effective climax to the song. Because he changes the accompaniment each verse, it doesn't become monotonous, nor does it feel like a strophic song; as the story evolves through the lyrics, so too does the accompaniment.
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