Percy Bysshe Shelley
Music, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory -
Odours, when sweet violets sicken,
Live within the sense they quicken.
English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was born in West Sussex on 4 August 1792.
His work was an inspiration to various composers, including Edgar Bainton, Samuel Barber (Music for a Scene from Shelley) and Hubert Parry.
His wife Mary Shelley was the author of Frankenstein, and the couple collaborated on the drama Proserpine.
He drowned in a storm at sea in the Gulf of La Spezia off what is now Italy, on 8 July 1822, aged only twenty-nine.
A selection of articles about Percy Bysshe Shelley
Spotlight. A Kind of Reconciliation - Keith Bramich enjoys his journey through Stacy Garrop's oratorio 'Terra Nostra'. '... powerful, quirky and beautiful by turns, given life by the soloists, chorus and the varied orchestral accompaniment ...'
CD Spotlight. An Exceptional Recording - Gerald Fenech finds William Vann's new recording of music by Parry revelatory. '... highly dramatic performances seething with passionate endeavour and glorious grandeur.'
Ensemble. 'Proserpine' in Spoleto - An opera by Italian composer Silvia Colasanti, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Rich and Varied - Songs by Robin Holloway, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances are full of expressive variety and sensitivity, complementing the composer's thoughts with undiluted commitment.'