AASR Song Spotlight: When Kisses are as Strawberries
Among the treasures represented within the Australian Art Song Resource are pieces from Five Songs (1936), a significant cycle by Margaret Sutherland set to the poetry of John Shaw Neilson.
Largely untrained and only basically educated, Neilson became recognised for his gift for lyrical poetry. Deeply inspired by the natural world, his poetry possesses an inherent musicality that has drawn generations of Australian composers to his work. As one commentator observed, “Neilson at his best stands unsurpassed in modern English-speaking poetry, and he can take his rightful place in company with the finest lyricists of all English literature.1
Although individual songs from the cycle have appeared in examination syllabi for many years, the complete set has been difficult to access, having long been out of print despite its importance within Australian vocal repertoire.
One of the exciting discoveries of the AASR research process has been uncovering that this historically significant cycle has recently become available again in reprint, allowing a new generation of singers and teachers to explore these works.
As Kisses Are As Strawberries is a beautiful example of her refined and deeply expressive writing for voice. There is an intimacy to the song that feels almost suspended in time - delicate, lyrical and quietly sophisticated, allowing text and music to breathe together with remarkable naturalness. This brief song captures the particular sensory joys of summertime - bees buzzing in the flowers, birds frolicking on watery banks, ripe sweet fruit and the pursuit of love.
Sutherland’s songs often resist excess. Instead, they invite careful listening. Beneath the apparent simplicity lies an extraordinary sensitivity to colour, phrasing and emotional atmosphere. The result is music that feels both deeply personal and unmistakably Australian in voice and character.
You can listen to a live recording of When Kisses Are As Strawberries by Flametree on our YouTube Channel. You’ll find all the links on the song page here.
REFERENCE
1 Hugh Anderson, Australian Dictionary of Biography