These four songs began as exercises making music with just 6 notes (a hexachord). I ultimately “cheated” several times for some variety. The gentle loneliness of the Meredith dirge makes a nice contrast with the howling of the Shelly dirge. The third song, Western Wind—a stunning anonymous 16th century poem—is set a cappella. A setting of Shakespeare’s bitter Blow blow thou winter wind from As You Like It completes the cycle. Duration: 14 minutes