Program note

Edward Carpenter’s life as a public intellectual and political activist in Victorian England existed alongside a less public life: that of a gay man. For the last 30 years of his life, he lived with a male partner, George Merrill (their relationship inspired E. M. Forester’s novel Maurice), and he privately circulated pamphlets arguing for tolerance of same-sex relationships (1894’s Homogenic Love and Its Place in a Free Society). His widely published works were more guarded in their politics. For example, his anthology of poetry about same-sex attraction, Iolaus: Anthology of Friendship, used the term “friendship” as a winking stand-in for the more explicit (and more forbidden) truth.

These Secret Songs, then, aren’t truly secret. The poems sung here were all published for wide circulation. But their truest meaning, their cast of characters and constellation of references, are coded with secret meanings for certain readers. Fundamentally, these are songs about finding joy, love, and community, despite society’s intolerance.

The first song (“I Am A Voice”) is shot through with feelings of anxiety and disorientation, with the singer finally resolving to escape the restrictions of Victorian morality and sing a “song of joy—of deliverance.” Then, in “Summer Heat,” the poet finds a community away from urban society; out in nature, among men like him, his lust can ripen fully. In“Cradled in Flame,” this lust matures into deeper feelings of commitment. The fourth song,“Home,” is a proud statement of freedom and openness, reflecting Carpenter’s political views about equality across different class and income levels. “Through and Through” is a simple love song. Finally, “Self-Conscious” is a statement of supportive community, promising a private form of support that exists in spite of society’s moral codes.