The William Blake Blog

Blake Sound Bites: Jerusalem by Mark Stewart and the Maffia
This audio-only podcast explores how Blake's first published poem, "To Spring", drew upon the work of James Thomson's The Seasons.

While William Blake’s stanzas has become one of his most famous poems since it was set to music as the hymn “Jerusalem”, probably the most unique version is that recorded by Mark Stewart in 1982. This short podcast explores what makes Stewart’s version so unusual and explains how it works to both appeal to - and alienate - its listeners.

This was first recorded as an audio in 2010 and is now republished following the sad news of Mark’s death.