BLENDING POETRY WITH MUSIC

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Over 200 years ago one of the greatest poets in the English language, Byron, and a relatively unknown composer, Nathan Isaac, agreed to collaborate on a collection of songs, 'Hebrew Melodies', conspicuously tapping in to the vogue for Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Jewish folk music at the time.   Despite Isaac's claim that some of the melodies were "sung by ancient hebrews before the destruction of the Temple" (see Peter Cochran's article on the collection) the end result had a lukewarm reception, the melodies criticised as not memorable and some of the verse a bit high-toned.  The collection did however include a number of very striking Byron lyric poems, such as 'She Walks In Beauty', 'None Of Beauty's Daughters' and 'When We Parted', calling out for complimentary tune.  The project floundered and was put to the side while  Byron focused  his creative powers on all-consuming works like 'Don Juan'.  

Fast-forward to 2021, inspired by the words of 'She Walks In Beauty', Tess wrote and produced the accompanying pop single to critical acclaim, with leading music mag 'Louder Than War' proclaiming the track a 'pop pearl' (review: https://louderthanwar.com/tess-callaghan-he-walks-in-beauty-single-review/ ).  Encouraged by this success, Tess is striving to set other of Byron's lyrics to beautiful melodies, a total of ten, and effectively complete 'Stanzas For Music' by the close of 2024, the 200th anniversary of Byron's (life and) death.   A copy of 'Stanzas For Music' ('Stanzas') will be held at the British Library archive, who  identified Tess as an artist of note a few years ago.  

Working with Barrie Cadogan and Simon Little, both  top London session musicians, Tess has recorded all instruments, including vocals, for Stanzas.  Now all that is necessary to complete the work is mixing and mastering, two exacting sound engineering processes.  With three tracks done, that leaves seven to go.

Post production activities like promotion and marketing are also necessary for Stanza's promotional and commercial success.   Tess is committed to focusing on these areas in the coming months and over the next year (2024/2025), appreciating their importance, as shown in coverage she has already achieved, such as with 'Live In Italy' (https://liveinitalymag.com/from-ireland-to-italy-chat-with-tess-callaghan/).  Tess would  like to have outside, professional assistance with this substantial and important promotional task, as well as take time away from her day job to be free to tour and make the most of related opportunities.

Tess now seeks patrons to support these final production and promotion activities, helping to complete the project in time for Stanzas' album release in 2024.  An outstanding presentation of Byron's poetry in pop/ rock form will support Tess in touring the work, promoting the poetry of Byron to a new generation and the wider public, as well as her own music.  

Please see details below on Stanzas patron packages, excitingly named after real people from Byron's life.  Your generosity and support through these packages, whether the 'Busby' (Byron's supportive form tutor), for £25, or the 'Gamba' (family of Byron's partner, Teresa), for £500, will help Tess promote Byron's poetry as well as her own musical talent.

The seven different patron packages, in order of ascending donation amount:

'Busby', £25 - Byron's supportive tutor at Harrow:

-a digital copy of 'Stanzas For Music'

- monthly email/ updates on  Stanzas' production and promotional progress

-MP4 copy of promotional video for Stanzas

-Excerpt from 'The Dictionary', Tess' script on the destruction of Byron's Memoir, where Busby is updating Byron's guardian on his progress

'Pigot', £50 - Byron's friendly neighbours at Southwell, Nottinghamshire, near the Byron family estate, Newstead: 

- all benefits of the preceding package, plus second promotional video and excerpts from 'The Dictionary' involving the Pigots, encouraging Byron to sing and also have courage when mocked for his disability

'Hobhouse', £100 - Byron's friend from Cambridge University Days and traveling companion in Albania and Turkey:

- all benefits of the preceding package, plus all four promotional videos for Stanzas, including corresponding karaoke versions, and excerpts from 'The Dictionary' on Byron and Hobhouse's travels around Europe and Turkey, including their meeting Ali Pasha

'Murray', £250 - Byron's publisher, savvy commercial representative of Byron's writing career:

- all benefits of the preceding package, plus a vinyl copy of Stanzas, and excerpts of Murray's dialogue from 'The Dictionary' and, subject to your agreement,  acknowledgement of your support on the back of the vinyl cover.  Tess will also send a personal note of appreciation, enclosing signed stills from promotional videos for the project

'Gamba', £500 - the Ravenna family who Byron got to know and lived with while developing a relationship with partner Teresa Gamba Guiccioli:

- all benefits of the preceding package,  plus free entry for you and up to 5 companions to any physical, in-person gigs promoting Stanzas and  for you to any streamed gigs by Tess for the year, and excerpts from 'The Dictionary' covering Byron's romances before marriage, including with Caroline Lamb

'Moore', £1,000 - Byron's closest associate and friend, successful Irish singer-songwriter, who defended Byron's reputation and pieced together Byron's biography after the original was destroyed:

- all benefits of the preceding package, plus a telephone or video link meeting with Tess to discuss Stanzas and a digital or postal card, at your election, on both your and Byron's birthday (January 22), and excerpts from 'The Dictionary' covering Byron as young married man, including his arbitrating at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane between a conductor and ballerina 

'B Plus', £2,000 and above  - Byron himself! 

-all benefits of the preceding package, plus made-to-measure copy of the Byron commemoration ring, as shown in the picture, and online (or, if feasible, in-person) meeting with Tess, to discuss the project and all things Byron, and excerpts from 'The Dictionary' of Byron's monologues