"Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) is a very well-known poet and novelist. The novels, including Far from the Madding Crowd and Tess of the D'Urbervilles, have been repeatedly made into films, and his poetry has been set to music, most notably by the British composer, Gerald Finzi (1901–1956). (His son Christopher, b. 1934, known as 'Kiffer' Finzi, is a major character in the film Hilary and Jackie.)"

"Despite his extensive number of Hardy settings, it does not appear that Finzi set 'To Life.' This very short and, typically, pessimistic poem is an invocation to life in which the poet, realizing its basically tragic and ephemeral characteristics, asks it to pretend, 'for one mad day,' that 'earth is Paradise.' And in so pretending, he hopes that if he does, he will believe it to be true! (The rather odd word 'mumm' means 'to mask,' in the sense of a masquerade.)"

"My setting of the poem was written for David W. Solomons (with whom I have often collaborated), and specifically for the Third Delian Suite. [It is performed here by the dwsChorale under Mr. Solomons' direction]."