Resounding Verse

Stephen Rodgers
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Join music theorist Stephen Rodgers as he explores how composers transform words into songs. Each episode discusses one poem and one musical setting of it. The music is diverse—covering a variety of styles and time periods, and focusing on composers from underrepresented groups—and the tone is accessible and personal. If you love poetry and song, no matter your background and expertise, this show is for you. Episodes are 20-40 minutes long and air every couple of months. 

  1. 8h ago

    Evensong: Constance Morgan and Liza Lehmann

    Constance Morgan’s “Evensong” is a quiet nighttime poem in which a speaker asks the angels to fold their wings around her and “hush me to sleep.” But sleep in the poem carries a darker possibility. In this episode, I explore Liza Lehmann’s 1916 setting of the poem and the ways her music deepens that ambiguity. The episode features mezzo-soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers and pianist Steuart Bedford, Lehmann’s grandson, from an album of Lehmann songs released by Naxos Records. For more information about Lehmann and her song, see my conversation with Christopher Reynolds, "Exploring Lehmann's 'Evensong,'" published in the Women's Song Forum. Evensong Constance Morgan Fold your white wings, dear Angels, Fold your white wings; Dew falls and the nightingale softly now sings. Across the lawn lie shadows, So still, so deep, Dear loving Angels, pass not by, Hush me to sleep. Night falls, and whisp’ring goes the wind Along the sea; Fold your white wings, dear Angels, Fold them, dear Angels, Fold them round me.

    Evensong: Constance Morgan and Liza Lehmann

  2. Aug 19

    They bore him barefaced on the bier: William Shakespeare and Cheryl Frances-Hoad

    In Act 4, Scene 5 of Hamlet, the grieving Ophelia moves in and out of song, singing fragments about death and loss. In this episode, I explore Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s setting of one of those fragments, “They bore him barefaced on the bier,” and the ways her music captures the strange instability of Ophelia’s song—its off-kilter dance rhythms, its collisions of simplicity and dissonance, and the moment when song itself seems to break down under the pressure of grief. The episode features soprano Ruby Hughes and lutenist Jonas Nordberg, performing Nordberg’s arrangement of the song on Hughes’s 2026 album Amidst the Shades. They bore him barefaced on the bier; Hey non nonny, nonny, hey nonny; And in his grave rain'd many a tear:-- Fare you well, my dove! And will he not come again? And will he not come again? No, no, he is dead: Go to thy death-bed: He never will come again. His beard was as white as snow, All flaxen was his poll: He is gone, he is gone, And we cast away moan: God ha' mercy on his soul! From Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5

    They bore him barefaced on the bier: William Shakespeare and Cheryl Frances-Hoad

  3. Mar 17

    hyacinth, songs of the minotaur, no. 5: Duncan McFarlane and Cecilia Livingston

    The Minotaur is a half man/half bull from Greek mythology that is often viewed as a monster. Cecilia Livingston and Duncan McFarlane's song cycle hyacinth reimagines the Minotaur as a lonely child, imprisoned because of the way he looks, remembering fragments of a life above ground and, above all, remembering his mother. The episode features a recording of the song by soprano Laura Strickling and pianist Daniel Schlosberg. They will be releasing a professional recording of the cycle this August with the Sono Luminus label. You can find more information about Cecilia Livingston's music via her website.

    hyacinth, songs of the minotaur, no. 5: Duncan McFarlane and Cecilia Livingston

  4. Feb 24

    Das Blatt im Buche (The Leaf in the Book): Anastasius Grün and Pauline Decker

    This episode explores the first song in a cycle I assembled from stand-alone songs by Pauline Decker—using curation as a form of advocacy.  It features a world-premiere recording of the song by tenor James Gilchrist and pianist Jocelyn Freeman. A recording of the entire song cycle, also featuring mezzo-soprano Katie Bray, can be found on my website Art Song Augmented. The score to the cycle is available via ClarNan Editions, a division of Classical Vocal Reprints. For an account of the creation of this cycle, see my essay "Love Letters" from the Women's Song Forum. Das Blatt im Buche Anastasius Grün *Ich seh’ eine alte Dame, Die ein altes Büchlein hat, Es liegt in dem alten Buche Ein altes, dürres Blatt.   So dürr sind wohl auch die Hände, Die’s einst im Lenz ihr gepflückt. Was mag wohl die Alte haben, Sie weint, wenn sie’s erblickt? The Leaf in the Book *I see an old woman Who has a small, old book, In the old book lies An old, dried leaf.   The hands that once picked it for her in springtime Are likely just as dry. Whatever could be amiss with the old woman, She weeps whenever she sees it? (translation by Sharon Krebs) * The original first line of Grün's poem is "Ich hab' eine alte Muhme" (I have an old aunt). I changed it to "Ich seh' eine alte Dame" (I see an old woman).

    Das Blatt im Buche (The Leaf in the Book): Anastasius Grün and Pauline Decker

  5. 09/29/2024

    Labor Day: Lainie Fefferman and Jascha Narveson

    I head back to university teaching tomorrow—and I know many teachers and students who are already back at it. In honor of this back-to-school season, here's an episode on a wild and wonderful song by New-York-based composers Lainie Fefferman and Jascha Narveson. In addition to composing a wide variety of music as individual artists, they are part of a synth-pop duo called The Beverage Station. The duo will release a full album, including this song, on May 30, 2025, from Gold Bolus Recordings.  Labor Day Lainie Fefferman Brand-new faces Familiar halls Tracking paces Feel it in my throat Bones break Back aches I could punch through walls And then there's you Heart explosions Arms aglow Big emotions Pack up its time to go Hours come Seconds go Cut to my fun walk home Where there is you Familiar faces Brand-new halls Making spaces Sharing all I love Calm comes Back stroke Keeping tallies of smiles and cheers I know I've lost what I'm doing here

    Labor Day: Lainie Fefferman and Jascha Narveson

  6. 09/25/2024

    Frosty in Desire: William Shakespeare and Rodrigo Ruiz

    On September 27, 2024, Signum Records will release a recording of Rodrigo Ruiz's cycle of seventeen songs, Venus & Adonis, based on William Shakespeare's poem of the same name. In this episode, I dive into one of my favorite songs from the cycle, where Venus takes Adonis's hand and entreats him to open his heart to her. For more information about Rodrigo Ruiz, you can find him on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkTree. You can also learn more about his songs from this page on my website Art Song Augmented, and from this episode on his setting of a poem by Heinrich Heine. The recording in this episode features soprano Grace Davidson and pianist George Herbert, who also appear on the forthcoming album of the cycle. Frosty in Desire William Shakespeare (adapted by Rodrigo Ruiz) POET With this she seizeth on his sweating palm, and trembling in her passion, calls it balm, Earth’s sovereign salve to do a goddess good. Pure shame and awed resistance made him fret, which bred more beauty in his angry eyes. So fastened in her arms Adonis lies; still is he sullen, still he lours and frets, 'twixt crimson shame and anger ashy pale. Still she entreats, and prettily entreats;      she red as coals of glowing fire,      he frosty in desire. (25, 27–8, 69–70, 68, 75–6, 73, 35–6)

    Frosty in Desire: William Shakespeare and Rodrigo Ruiz

  7. 09/06/2024

    Alleluia: Nathaniel Bellows and Sarah Kirkland Snider

    The Mass for the Endangered, by Nathaniel Bellows and Sarah Kirkland Snider, appeals not to God but to nature itself and (in Snider's words) takes the "musical modes of spiritual contemplation" associated with the Latin mass and applies them to "concern for non-human life—animals, plants, and the environment." The third movement of the Mass, "Alleluia," describes the brutal destruction of the natural world yet at the same time offers a promise of renewal. The episode features a recording of the movement by Gallicantus, under the direction of Gabriel Crouch; an album of the entire Mass was released in 2020 by New Amsterdam and Nonesuch Records. If you're interested in learning about another haunting collaboration by Bellows and Snider, check out my podcast episode on "The River," from their song cycle Unremembered. Alleluia Nathaniel Bellows Sea of cradle, foundling, current, cold and quelled as morning. Braid of vapored ashes, shadowed creche, collapsing. Contour, carve, corrode— breathe through camphor, coal, seed each breeze with gold. Poison, parch, pollute— plow the coast, the dune, flow toward constant moon.  Alleluia Hearth of stone, of tar, of lava, shelter shielding mother. Oh, save us mother!    She who is sleeping, Is she who will wake.   Fracture, foist, defoul— shatter cliff and shoal, sand each stone to whole. Harbored, held, unharmed— she’ll wake, rise, rejoin, her daughters and her sons.  Alleluia

    Alleluia: Nathaniel Bellows and Sarah Kirkland Snider

  8. 09/01/2023

    You're the One: Rhiannon Giddens

    The title track from Rhiannon Giddens's recent album You're the One—which was just released by Nonesuch Records—is a love song, but not one about two adults; it's about a moment Giddens experienced with her newborn son, pressing her cheek against his and realizing that her world would never be the same again. In this episode I reference a book by Matt BaileyShea called Lines and Lyrics: An Introduction to Poetry and Song. If you're interested in learning more about how words and music relate in pop songs and art songs and everything in between, I'd urge you check out his book. It's superb, and really accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike. You're the One Rhiannon Giddens (the song was cowritten with Lalenja Harrington) I knew you were the one  Were my one and only And I knew  That you would always know me  Cause you were the one  Who kept me from feeling  So sad and lonely in my life and I never knew  Life could be so wonderful That there could be someone  Who was so beautiful And I never knew   That I could be so free   To love someone like you and  I wanna love you forever  And I’ll be with you   For worse and for better  And I never thought I’d fall   But you’re the one   I thought my life was drawn   In shades of gray and   That washow  I would live my everyday and   Aimless no direction found My destiny was going through the motions of a life and Then you came along   With your sweet sweet smile and   Then you put your cheek   Right next to mine and   All those shades of gray slowly turned into a   New technicolor world and   I’m gonna love you forever   And I’ll be with you   For worse and for better   And I never thought I’d fall   And I’m gonna love you forever and   I’ll be with you for worse and for better   And I never thought I’d fall   But you’re the one   You’re the one  Your smile contains the sun Rays of glory   You’re the one

    You're the One: Rhiannon Giddens
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About

Join music theorist Stephen Rodgers as he explores how composers transform words into songs. Each episode discusses one poem and one musical setting of it. The music is diverse—covering a variety of styles and time periods, and focusing on composers from underrepresented groups—and the tone is accessible and personal. If you love poetry and song, no matter your background and expertise, this show is for you. Episodes are 20-40 minutes long and air every couple of months. 

Information

  • Creator
    Stephen Rodgers
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Resounding Verse
  • Show Website
    Resounding Verse

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