Song for voice and piano
Thomas Hardy’s satirical poem The Ruined Maid, written in 1866, is full of intended irony. It tells of a “fallen” woman named ‘Melia who, tired of being a farm maid, sought her fortune in the city. By chance one day, she meets a farm girl she once worked with, who remarks on her fine garments, jewels, elocution and delicate features. ‘Melia’s matter-of-fact responses show that she accepts that’s the way things are for a woman who has been ruined. The poem highlights the harsh reality and judgemental society of the Victorian era regarding women, who have been morally ruined. Scored for mezzo-soprano/alto with piano accompaniment, this work was completed in September 2018 and makes much use of the double harmonic scale of D minor.