There are a number of reasons why I chose the song “Roses of Picardy” to accompany this 4 min 20 sec slide show of paintings by Sir William Orpen. It was written in 1916 and Orpen would have been familiar with it. In fact, it was probably the most popular song from that era and closely associated with World War 1.  It was also recorded by the Irish Tenor John Count McCormack in 1919 and his portrait by Orpen features in this slideshow along with some of Orpen’s paintings from his time in France.
Here the song is sung by my friend, Soprano Niamh Murray whom I’ve had the pleasure to photograph on a number of occasions www.niamhmurray.com

Roses are shining in Picardy
In the hush of the silvery dew
Roses are flowering in Picardy
But there’s never a rose like you

And the roses will die with the summertime
And our roads may be far, far apart
But there’s one rose that dies not in Picardy
‘Tis the rose that I keep in my heart

But there’s never a rose like you
And the roses will die with the summertime
And our roads may be far, far apart
But there’s one rose that dies not in Picardy
‘Tis the rose that I keep in my heart

Songwriters
Frederick E. Weatherly & Haydn Wood.

Changing Billets, Picardy by Sir William Orpen.

 

If you are interested in the life of Sir William Orpen, please follow his Facebook and Twitter pages where you will find lots of interesting photographs and information, and do visit the wonderful 11 ft tall Orpen sculpture created by Rowan Gillespie which is situated at the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan near to Orpen’s birthplace. The sculpture was unveiled by Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones in 2018.

www.facebook.com/SirWilliamOrpen and www.twitter.com/SirWilliamOrpen

Sir William Orpen from Dominic Lee on Vimeo.

Post by Dominic Lee, Orpen Research Archives.