Points of departure -- Hildegard von Bingen: "Columba aspexit" -- Bernart de Ventadorn: "Can vei la lauzeta mover" -- Josquin Desprez: "La déploration sur la mort d'Ockeghem" -- Cipriano de Rore: "Ancor che col partire" -- John Dowland: "Flow my tears" -- Barbara Strozzi: "Lagrime mie" -- Robert Schumann: "Du Ring an meinem Finger" -- Erik Satie: 'Ludions' -- George Butterworth: "The Lads in Their Hundreds" -- George Gershwin: "Summertime" -- Benjamin Britten: "O might those sighes and teares returne againe" -- Luciano Berio: 'Sequenza III' -- History and future song.

"From one of our most versatile singers, a vibrant history of song stretching from Hildegard von Bingen and Benjamin Britten to Björk ... In this celebratory account, author and singer John Potter tells the European story of song. The form has captivated audiences and excited performers for centuries, from the music of the troubadours and the Christian liturgy through classical composers such as Bach and Schumann up to Britten, Berio, and the rise of popular music. Choosing twelve key works, Potter offers a personal tour through this vital tradition, from John Dowland’s ‘Flow My Tears’ to George Gershwin’s ‘Summertime.’ Throughout, he reveals who wrote and sang these joyful masterpieces—and what they mean to singers and audiences today."-- Provided by publisher.