This beautiful ballad is from the album ‘From the Old World to the New World’ from composer Philip Henderson. It tells in music the story of a young man leaving the rural landsape of Kent, England, in the 1930s and traveling to America by working as a galley boy on a merchant ship. In this song, the spirit of New York calls out to him.
The full album: From the Old World to the New World (DDA 25141)
From the pen of celebrated Theater composer Philip Henderson comes a concept album based on the true story of his father’s journey in the 1930s from rural Kent to New York. Expressed in music that follows the story, from pastoral string ensemble, to the excitement and bustle of an Atlantic cargo vessel, to the buzz of Broadway where our hero, represented by a cor anglais, plays against the now-synthezised strings of the city.