University News Last updated 10 January
To celebrate Jane Austen鈥檚 250th birthday this year, Vocal Studies alumna Penelope Appleyard has commissioned a song using Jane Austen鈥檚 poem 鈥極de to Pity鈥�. The poem, written during Austen鈥檚 youth, reflects but also mocks the sensibility of the Romantic era, with a focus on nature, emotion, and the picturesque.
Austen was a keen singer and pianist, with a preference for folk songs, so this new song commissioned by Penelope and written by internationally renowned composer Donna McKevitt will reflect the writer鈥檚 love of folk.
The poem will be featured in Penelope鈥檚 new recital programme, Sense and Musicality. The theme of the programme is music in the life and works of Austen and will be performed with pianist Jonathan Delbridge who owns a square piano, close in age to Austen鈥檚 own instrument.
Penelope believes that this may be the first time that contemporary music has been written for square piano accompaniment.
Speaking about the commission, Penelope said: 鈥淎s far as we know, there are currently no musical settings of Jane Austen鈥檚 writing recorded or being performed regularly as part of the English song repertoire, which seems wrong for such a famous British literary icon!
鈥淒onna McKevitt has managed to capture both old and new in this commission. It hints at a sense of Austen's developing dry wit and tone of teenage sarcasm, while also boasting a beautiful folk-style melody that is so in keeping with the popular domestic music of the period. It's exciting for both music and literature to have this song out in the world, and a treat for me to be the first to sing it."
The performances will take place on the following dates:
- Saturday 11 January, at 7pm 鈥� South Somerset Music Centre, Crewkerne
- Sunday 9 February, at 11.30am 鈥� Rook Lane Chapel, Frome
- Sunday 27 April, at 3.30pm 鈥� Music on the Quantocks (Venue TBC)
- Tuesday 13 May, at 3pm 鈥� Newbury Spring Festival, Shaw House
- Saturday 2 May 2026, at 3.30pm 鈥� Sherborne Abbey Festival
Keep up to date with further performances at 听补苍诲听.
If you would like to, you can make a donation to enable this new song to be recorded.