The distinguished English composer Maurice Greene was appointed Master of the King’s Music in 1735. He soon composed a series of 25 sonnet settings taken from the collection of 89 Amoretti (‘little loves’) written by Edmund Spenser, one of the greatest poets of the Shakespearean age. These settings show Greene to have been a master of word-painting technique, and a subtle colourist with a sensitive ear for Spenser’s verse. This jewel of a collection is also historically important, as it can be considered one of the earliest song cycles in the history of English music.

• Greene, M: After long stormes
• Greene, M: After so long a race
• Greene, M: Arion
• Greene, M: Faire Eyes
• Greene, M: Faire ye be sure
• Greene, M: Fayre cruell
• Greene, M: Fresh Spring
• Greene, M: Happy ye leaves
• Greene, M: How long shall this like dying life endure
• Greene, M: Lacking my love
• Greene, M: Like as a huntsman
• Greene, M: Like as a ship
• Greene, M: Like as the Culver
• Greene, M: Marke when the smiles
• Greene, M: One day I wrote her name upon the strand
• Greene, M: Since I did leave the presence of my love
• Greene, M: Sweet smile
• Greene, M: The Laurell leafe
• Greene, M: The Love which me so cruelly tormenteth
• Greene, M: The merry Cuckow
• Greene, M: The rolling wheele
• Greene, M: Thrise happy she
• Greene, M: Trust not the treason of those smiling lookes
• Greene, M: What guile is this
• Greene, M: Ye tradefull merchants