Category: Vocal Music / Art Song
Instrumentation: voice and guitar, or voice and piano
Duration: 3 minutes
Text / Source: Words by William Blake
Publisher: Les Productions D'OZ (voice and guitar); Doberman-Yppan (voice and piano)

A Cradle Song is a lower-advanced song for voice with guitar or piano, setting words by William Blake. The text begins as a lullaby sung by a mother to her baby, then midway turns toward the baby Jesus, creating a gentle but meaningful shift from domestic tenderness to sacred reflection.

Baxter sets the song in binary form to reflect the structure and movement of the poem. Each section contains two verses, with each verse set to similar music. The A section is tonal but highly chromatic, with many vocal leaps, while the B section becomes almost folk-like in its simplicity, allowing the spiritual turn of the poem to feel clear and natural.

A Cradle Song is well suited for vocal recitals, sacred programs, Christmas or Advent settings, and concerts exploring Blake’s poetry. It rewards singers who can combine vocal agility, expressive warmth, and careful attention to the poem’s changing perspective.