Ray: "Bill Wigglestick" ... I like that, haha. Thanks for your very kind comments!

Hans: Thanks! Yes, I think that variation in intonation without changing the tempo might be a good way of going about this. I'm rather fond of this slow tempo, but maybe I can clump words together instead, or - as you suggest - change intonation? I'll experiment! :-)

Noel: wow. As always, wonderful comments from you. Thank you. Don't worry ... there are no boundaries for me as far as music chat is concerned ... we all have to be honest with each other if we want to improve, etc., no? So no worries there! Yes, I 100% agree with you ... at normal speed, the words would have to be much more playful, light, etc. ... and yes, it's a big ask! It's just that I wanted to take the sonnet in a different direction. You're right, it IS (originally) a conversation between Romeo and Juliet, but, since it's just me on this recording, I wanted to make it more of a monologue, a prayer if you like, from the speaker to the mystical "Eternal Beloved" (or someone like that) who is, however, absent here since it's now a monologue. Anyway, for that I felt that the tempo had to come down and, since it had to be a prayer-like monologue now, it could be more stately (as Ray says) and solemn. But that's just me messing about with Shakespeare's original intent! If I had two voices and was using the original text fully, it would of course be a totally different matter! Hmmm ... I hope I've somehow succeeded in my intentions, though, because - if it's still too slow and plodding - that's no good, haha. But I rather like this tempo ... maybe I should change my delivery of the words instead or something (put more words together, then longer breaks, then more words together, etc. - as opposed to the evenly spaced delivery I've got now?)? Again, I will experiment! THANK YOU for such kind words!!!

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