AASR Song Spotlight: The Whistling Man
Dulcie Holland’s The Whistling Man is a wonderful example of the warmth, accessibility and storytelling that have made her vocal music so enduring within Australian teaching repertoire. Set to poetry by Mary Gilmore, the song comes from Australian Poems for Solo, Unison or Two Part Singing - a collection that introduced generations of young singers to Australian poetry through music. Although many of these songs were written with educational settings in mind, Holland never simplified expression or musicality. Instead, she created works that are approachable while still rich in character and imagination.
In The Whistling Man, Holland captures a sense of movement, curiosity and gentle playfulness. The vocal writing sits naturally within the voice, allowing developing singers to focus on communication, phrasing and storytelling, while the piano writing provides colour and atmosphere without overwhelming the simplicity of the song. This piece also contains an ossia for lower voices, so allows for some flexibility within performance.
As the AASR research has shown, repertoire of this kind is often difficult to locate, despite its ongoing pedagogical value. Through projects such as Flametree’s recordings of Holland’s Australian Poems, we hope to continue helping teachers and students rediscover these important historical Australian works.
You can listen to our recording of The Whistling Man by Flametree on our YouTube Channel:High version and low version and other songs from the collection here.
Explore more about Dulcie Holland here.