But Stars Remaining For Soprano Solo

But Stars Remaining was written in 1970 for the English soprano Jane Manning. It sets lines from two poems by Cecil Day-Lewis, bringing them together to create a scena lasting some seven minutes. It is an aubade, or dawnlove-song; it begins with outward, extravert energy, and moves to an inward, intimate centre. It closes as the imagery moves out again, to the expanse of the sky at first light.