Autumn River 23:7:2022 Chapel Royal

This song cycle is a setting of poems by Li Po (701 - 762), considered to be one of China’s greatest poets. Known as the Banished Immortal, his life was characterised by a restless wandering and his poetry reflects both the infinite and ephemeral in a landscape that became his home. The English translations of theses poems by David Hinton capture that essence perfectly, to my mind. Often drunk, it is said Li Po died falling from a boat whilst trying to put his arms around the moon.