I Speak Because I Can, Laura Marling’s second album released in 2010, features this beautiful song "Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)". Marling is an extraordinary young songstress, releasing her first album when she was only eighteen. Her lyrics are artistically infused with bittersweet references to love and friends long gone, while also frequently mentioning her homeland, England. What is especially notable about Marling’s music is the subtle use of orchestral instruments. In this featured example, "Goodbye England", the intro begins with clarinet, yet the sound is so dark and mellow, that it blends into the color of the music, and becomes an almost indistinguishable timbre. Later on, when Marling’s somber vocals enter, we realize that the timbre of the clarinet is a perfect match for her voice. Although the clarinet does not have an overly prominent role throughout this piece, the chosen performer does a great job at blending into the atmosphere and becoming one with the sound. And this isn’t the only song on the album that features clarinet; several of the tracks make use of the instrument as a way to create color, and as a more important melodic figure.
Sources:
Fisher, Alice (2008).Little gal with full-grown talent. The Observer. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/26/popandrock
Laura Marling. (n.d.). Discogs. Retrieved from http://www.discogs.com/artist/Laura+Marling.
