THE SUNLIGHT ON THE GARDEn INTRODUCTION Some thoughts around by Clare Wilkinson the words and the music THE SONGS OF STEPHEN WILKINSON (b.1919) (not following programme order) My father’s music has been part of my awareness by Stephen Wilkinson 1 Grantchester James Gilchrist tenor, Anna Markland piano [5.34] from my earliest days. Despite being very 2 Proud Songsters Mhairi Lawson soprano, Ian Buckle piano [1.28] varied (it spans 80 years), it has a particular The Sunlight on the Garden lies somewhere in 3 At the Manger Clare Wilkinson mezzo-soprano, Ian Buckle [4.08] language which is all his own; a unique voice, the middle of an output of songs spanning most 4 Joly Jankyn Clare Wilkinson, Ian Buckle [3.13] yet deeply rooted in the English song tradition of a rather long lifetime. It evokes World War 2, 5 Eternal Summer Matthew Brook bass, Anna Markland piano [2.22] of Finzi, Gurney and Quilter. On becoming an a real watershed for me, and I have allowed 6 Winter Snow Mhairi Lawson, Ian Buckle [1.05] adult and a musician myself I understood its myself a hint of the wail of an air-raid siren and 7 Chapels James Gilchrist, Anna Markland [3.04] quality, and decided that it ought to be known a bomb-drop. 8 Heaven Clare Wilkinson, Ian Buckle [5.53] more widely. This, combined with my father’s 9 The Hour-Glass Mhairi Lawson, Ian Buckle [2.01] natural humility, has led me to be the one MacNeice expresses man’s traditional complaint, 0 Come away, Death James Gilchrist, Anna Markland [3.23] who champions his work. Dad is a deep and but with a captivating deftness all his own, the q Crabbed age & youth James Gilchrist, Anna Markland [2.02] detailed reader of poetry, and each song grows words seeming to lead him on of themselves w To a Young Girl Matthew Brook, Anna Markland [1.17] out of a long, intense consideration of the text. almost casually. But suddenly, with a stroke of e O do not love too long Matthew Brook, Anna Markland [1.35] r Maude Gonne takes down a book Clare Wilkinson, Ian Buckle [2.32] In those phases he sits for hours brooding, not spine-chilling magic, he makes Shakespeare’s t Politics James Gilchrist, Anna Markland [1.04] even hearing offers of cups of tea. How lucky Antony speak to us from ancient Egypt and y Spring & Fall Mhairi Lawson, Ian Buckle [2.39] we are to be associated with these musician the here and now becomes the universal. u The Garden Clare Wilkinson, Ian Buckle [3.32] colleagues, who lift the songs off the page with i The Sunlight on the Garden James Gilchrist, Anna Markland [2.25] such intelligence and wit. For our family this My approach was also to let the words lead me o The Gate in the Wall Clare Wilkinson, Ian Buckle [3.25] recording has been a very special experience. I on of themselves, hoping that instinct would p Running to Paradise Matthew Brook, Anna Markland [1.57] commend these excellent songs to you, not only come up with something organic. a Birdspeak Mhairi Lawson, Ian Buckle [1.58] out of love for the composer but out of deep s The Owl and the Pussycat Clare Wilkinson, Ian Buckle [3.00] conviction that they deserve your attention, In Proud Songsters Hardy is concerned with d The Wind and the Moon James Gilchrist, Anna Markland [4.54] and hope they will find the place they deserve in the same topic, but he says it with little f Kiss Matthew Brook, Anna Markland [0.44] the repertoire. birds. He gives us the busy music of an avian

Total timings: [65.01] evensong – another day gone of such a short life, eternal though it may seem to the songsters www.signumrecords.com - 3 - themselves. Happily his last phrase just about remembered heaven of Grantchester. I had my shocking. Do we hear cynghanedd at work? I singing. I thought I could help him to ‘put off gives me time to fuse its four elements and doubts whether so overquoted a line as ‘honey hope the poem was not presented to Margaret black’ by setting his entertaining text to a fledge another brand-new songster. still for tea’ was susceptible to serious setting, herself. Did he show it to his Father Confessor? cheerful tune in the major over a solemn minor but eventually decided to accept it as an key hymn tune in the bass. I think I have East Anglian rectories probably informed two expression of the genuine nostalgia Brooke No fewer than five songs set poems by Yeats, three succeeded, for he clearly has a little giggle. horticultural songs, providing The Garden with felt as he sat in the hot and noisy Café of them stemming from his long unhappy love ‘Fair Quiet’ and ‘a green shade’ for Marvell’s des Westens in Berlin in 1912. You must judge for Maude Gonne. I have made her, now old and Joly Jankyn needs no encouragement to lighten idyll, and in The Gate in the Wall ‘beds and whether I was wise. grey, not only ‘take down this book’, as bidden, the liturgy; his merie ton in celebrating the borders’ no longer accessible but clearly visible but read aloud and murmur, ‘a little sadly’ Christmas Mass makes his eleyson with its to Eleanor Farjeon’s nostalgic eye. I pruned all the parlour games stuff from the (superb irony!), how love fled – and spent a misplaced accent (like a hiccup) almost poem. Brooke died tragically immature, but left great passion on the creation of great Irish verse. hilarious. The young girl is besotted with him, Shakespeare gave me three texts. If Come more memorable lines than that one. How about and on him her hopes of heaven are fixed. away, Death and Crabbed Age seem strangely ‘lissome clerical printless toe’ for a start? – or Politics is a plain lust-song inspired by a A slow upward piano arpeggio, repeated disparate in style, the one expansive, the other ‘intolerable consanguinity’, the only two-word young lady who wisely prefers to remain gradually rising in the processional music, terse and a bit jazzy, please remember that they pentameter I know? anonymous. And Running to Paradise is a tells us that she is carrying his child. By way were written almost fifty years apart. ballad in contempt of all things material. of greeting as he administers the sacrament Nothing immature about Heaven, an atheistic It took the best part of another twenty to evoke to her, he manages a wink and steps on her romp - ‘and the worm that never dies’! It is an In The Hour Glass the accompaniment comes toe. Finally, in shame and religious fear, she Eternal Summer. The opening phrase on the ironic advance on his excellent Sonnet ‘Failure’ into its own, takes the lead, in fact, with a piano is very modest, almost as if the poet takes over his eleyson and turns it to a curse. on the same topic, indeed arguably his perpetuum mobile. For Ben it is not sand, but were thinking aloud, but as the verse rises best poem. I have severely disciplined the dust or cinders running in the glass. The fly Auden handles sacred mysteries with reverence to its final hubristic claim it becomes an accompaniment to ensure maximum clarity bumbles at the lamp and is finally burnt, at and shows a surprisingly deep and perceptive enthusiastic vivat. to the words. I loved setting it and, as I’m sure which point the singer takes over the empathy with Mary rooted in her anxious perpetuum mobile, which, deprived of final watch . Her agonised outcry in Anything but eternal, Winter Snow takes a you’ll hear, Clare loves singing it. At the Manger single verse from Christina Rossetti for a cadence, just peters out. Nothing to add response to her role is far more convincingly tiny atmospheric cameo. It began life as a Spring and Fall - To a young child - is a deeply but a formidable exclamation mark: Wham! human than the received version. A privilege Christmas card. touching little poem, though hardly characteristic of to offer music to such a text. religious Hopkins. ‘The blight that man was In Chapels ‘the nation’s hymn writer’ takes time The contrast in the two Rupert Brooke songs born for’ continues to shock. ‘Worlds of wanwood off to berate Welsh deacons for their joyless There are three songs for children. I have allowed is between the imagined fishyHeaven and the leafmeal lie’ is just as memorable if not as solemnity and their congregation for lugubrious Coleridge a tweet in Birdspeak and Lear a purr in

- 4 - - 5 - The Owl and the Pussycat, and George MacDonald We take our farewell of you with a Kiss. If you 2 Proud Songsters Sleep. What have you learned from the womb even a wheesh or two in The Wind and the Moon find it surprising, so too did Leigh Hunt way that bore you – we need not concern ourselves with his back in the early nineteenth century. It gave him The thrushes sing as the sun is going, But an anxiety your Father cannot feel? obvious intention to present the failed coup as a lift. You too, I hope. And the finches whistle in ones and pairs, Sleep. What will the flesh that I gave do for you, a lesson in humility for the young. And as it gets dark loud nightingales Or my mother love, but tempt you from His will? In bushes Why was I chosen to teach His son to weep? TEXTS A hundred Vicars down the lawn; Pipe, as they can when April wears, Little one, sleep. Curates, long dust, will come and go As if all Time were theirs. Dream. In human dreams earth ascends to Heaven 1 Grantchester On lissom, clerical, printless toe; Where no one need pray nor ever feel alone. And often through the boughs is seen These are brand new birds of In your first hours of life here, O have you εïθε γενοίμην … would I were The sly shade of a Rural Dean … twelvemonths’ growing, Chosen already what death must be your own? In Grantchester, in Grantchester! – Till, at a shiver in the skies, Which a year ago, or less than twain, How soon will you start on the Sorrowful Way? Oh! there the chestnuts, summer through, Vanishing with Satanic cries, No finches were, nor nightingales, Dream while you may. Beside the river make for you The prim ecclesiastic rout Nor thrushes, Text: Mary by W H Auden (1907-1973) A tunnel of green gloom, and sleep Leaves but a startled sleeper-out. But only particles of grain, Copyright © 1942, 1947 by W.H. Auden, renewed. Deeply above; and green and deep And earth, and air, and rain. Reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd. The stream mysterious glides beneath, εïθε γενοίμην … would I were Green as a dream and deep as death. In Grantchester, in Grantchester! – Text: Proud Songsters by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) 4 Joly Jankyn Say, do the elm-trees greatly stand 3 And there I know that you may lie At the Manger “Kyrie, so Kyrie”, Jankyn syngyt merie with Guardians of this holy land? Day long and watch the Cambridge sky, “aleyson”. And is there Beauty yet to find? And, flower-lulled in sleepy grass, Oh shut your bright eyes that mine must endanger As I went on Yol Day in our prosessyon And Certainty? and Quiet kind? Hear the cool lapse of hours pass, With their watchfulness: protected by its shade Knew I Joly Jankyn be his merie ton, Deep meadows yet, for to forget Until the centuries blend and blur Escape from my care: what can you discover Kyrie eleyson. The lies, the truths, the pain? … oh! yet In Grantchester, in Grantchester … From my tender look but how to be afraid? Stands the Church clock at ten to three? Love can but confirm the more it would deny. Jankyn began the Offys on the Yol Day, And is there honey still for tea? And in the garden, black and white, Close your bright eye. And yyt me thynkyt it dos me good,

Creep whispers in the grass all night; Text: adapted from The Old Vicarage, Grantchester by So merie gan he say: And spectral dance, before the dawn, Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) Kyrie eleyson.

- 6 - - 7 - Jankyn red the Pystyl ful fayre and ful wel, Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines, But the deacons walked with a tread 8 Heaven And yyt me thynkyt it dos me good, And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; So solemn, I thought that He was dead. As evere have I sel. And every fair from fair sometime declines, Fish (fly-replete, in depth of June, Kyrie eleyson. By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimm’d; Why, I cried, are the holy chapels Dawdling away their wat’ry noon) But thine eternal summer shall not fade Surrounded with spikes and with spears, Ponder deep wisdom, dark or clear, Jankyn at the Sanctus crakit a merie note, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; And never a flower but the dandelion, Each secret fishy hope or fear. And yyt me thynkyt it dos me good: Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, Which I love, mind you, and the singing, Fish say, they have their Stream and Pond; I payid for his cote. When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st; Oh beautiful singing, but lugubrious But is there anything Beyond? Kyrie eleyson. As long as men can breathe or eyes can see, And the deacons all dressed in black, This life cannot be All, they swear, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. As if He had never come back. For how unpleasant, if it were! Jankyn at the Agnus beryt the paxbrede; One may not doubt that, somehow, Good He twynkelid, but sayd nowt, Text: Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) So I passed by the chapels of Wales, Shall come of Water and of Mud; And on myn fot he trede. Respectfully, mind you, and walked And, sure, the reverent eye must see 6 Kyrie eleyson. Winter Snow Where lambs sucked, chaffinches sang A Purpose in Liquidity. And lilies of the field are arrayed We darkly know, by Faith we cry, Benedicamus Domino: In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Better than Solomon, and the thorn flowered, The future is not Wholly Dry. Chryst fro schame me schylde; Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; And my heart that had lack of Him Mud unto mud! – Death eddies near – Deo gracias thereto: Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, Flowered and put off black. Not here the appointed End, not here! Alas, I go with chylde! In the bleak midwinter, long ago. But somewhere, beyond Space and Time. Kyrie eleyson. When I touch my cap to the deacons Is wetter water, slimier slime! Text: from In the bleak midwinter by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) They call me bad names, Bible names, And there (they trust) there swimmeth One Text: Anonymous, c.1450 Such as Backslider, and Son of Belial, Who swam ere rivers were begun, 7 Chapels But I go to my own chapel, thank you, Immense, of fishy form and mind, 5 Eternal Summer Which has no railings, walls, or windows. Squamous, omnipotent, and kind; I’ve seen so many chapels in Wales With the singing joyful, and my head And under that Almighty Fin, Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Called by Bible names, beautiful names, Laughing itself off, He isn’t dead! The littlest fish may enter in. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: With their windows square as honesty, Oh! never fly conceals a hook, Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, Rounded as charity, clear as purity, Text: from Backslider by Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000) Fish say, in the Eternal Brook, Reprinted by permission of Stainer & Bell Ltd, www.stainer.co.uk. And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: I thought He must have come back. But more than mundane weeds are there,

- 8 - - 9 - And mud, celestially fair; Fly away, fly away, breath, Age’s breath is short; e O do not love too long Fat caterpillars drift around, I am slain by a fair cruel maid. Youth is nimble, Age is lame; And Paradisal grubs are found; My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, Youth is hot and bold, Sweetheart, do not love too long: Unfading moths, immortal flies, O, prepare it! Age is weak and cold; I loved long and long, And the worm that never dies. My part of death, no one so true Youth is wild, and Age is tame. And grew to be out of fashion And in that Heaven of all their wish, Did share it. Age, I do abhor thee; Like an old song. There shall be no more land, say fish. Youth, I do adore thee; Not a flower, not a flower sweet O, my Love, my Love is young! All through the years of our youth Text: Heaven by Rupert Brooke On my black coffin let there be strewn. Age, I do defy thee: Neither could have known Not a friend, not a friend greet O, sweet shepherd, hie thee: Their own thought from the other’s, 9 The Hour-Glass My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown. For methinks thou stay’st too long. We were so much at one. A thousand thousand sighs to save, But O, in a minute she changed – Do but consider this small dust, Lay me, O, where Text: from The Passionate Pilgrim, attributed to William Shakespeare. O do not love too long, Here running in the glass, Sad true lover never find my grave, Or you will grow out of fashion By atoms moved. To weep there! w To a Young Girl Could you believe that this the body was Like an old song. Of one that loved? Text: from Twelfth Night Act 2, Scene 4, by William Shakespeare My dear, my dear, I know Text: O do not love too long by W B Yeats More than another And in his mistress’ flame playing like a fly, q Crabbed age and youth What makes your heart beat so; r Maude Gonne takes down a book Turned to cinders by her eye? Not even your own mother Yes, and in death as in life unblest, Crabbed Age and Youth Can know it as I know, When you are old and grey and full of sleep, To have’t expressed, Cannot live together: Who broke my heart for her And nodding by the fire, take down this book, Even ashes of lovers find no rest. Youth is full of pleasance, When the wild thought, And slowly read, and dream of the soft look Age is full of care; That she denies Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep; Text: The Hour Glass by Ben Jonson (1572-1637) Youth like summer morn, And has forgot, Age like winter weather; Set all her blood astir How many loved your moments of glad grace, 0 Come away, Death Youth like summer brave, And glittered in her eyes. And loved your beauty with love false or true, Age like winter bare. But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, Come away, come away, death, Youth is full of sport, Text: To a Young Girl by W B Yeats (1865-1939) And loved the sorrows of your changing face; And in sad cypress let me be laid.

- 10 - - 11 - And bending down beside the glowing bars, With your fresh thoughts care for, can you? In busy companies of men; We cannot cage the minute Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled Ah! ás the héart grows ólder Your sacred plants, if here below, Within its nets of gold, And paced upon the mountains overhead It will come to such sights colder Only among the plants will grow. When all is told And hid his face amid a crowd of stars. By and by, nor spare a sigh Society is all but rude, We cannot beg for pardon. Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie; To this delicious solitude. Text: When you are old by W B Yeats And yet you will weep and know why. Our freedom as free lances What wond’rous life is this I lead! Advances towards its end; t Politics Now no matter, child, the name: Sórrow’s spríngs áre the sáme. Ripe apples drop about my head; The earth compels, upon it How can I, that girl standing there, Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed The luscious clusters of the vine Sonnets and birds descend; My attention fix What héart héard of, ghóst guéssed: Upon my mouth do crush their wine; And soon, my friend, On Roman or on Russian It ís the blíght that mán was bórn for, The nectarine and curious peach We shall have no time for dances. Or on Spanish politics? It is Margaret you mourn for. Into my hands themselves do reach; The sky was good for flying Yet here’s a travelled man that knows Stumbling on melons as I pass, Defying the church bells What he talks about, Text: Spring and Fall by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) Ensnar’d with flow’rs, I fall on grass. And every evil iron And there’s a politician Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less, Siren and what it tells: That has read and thought, u The Garden Withdraws into its happiness; The earth compels, And maybe what they say is true The mind, that ocean where each kind We are dying, Egypt, dying Of war and war’s alarms, How vainly men themselves amaze To win the palm, the oak, or bays, Does straight its own resemblance find, But O that I were young again And not expecting pardon, And their incessant labours see Yet it creates, transcending these, And held her in my arms! Hardened in heart anew, Crown’d from some single herb or tree, Far other worlds, and other seas; Annihilating all that’s made But glad to have sat under Text: Politics by W B Yeats Whose short and narrow verged shade Thunder and rain with you, Does prudently their toils upbraid; To a green thought in a green shade. And grateful too y Spring and Fall While all flow’rs and all trees do close Text: from The Garden by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) For sunlight on the garden. To a young child To weave the garlands of repose. i The Sunlight on the Garden Text: The Sunlight on the Garden by Louis MacNeice (1907-1963) Márgarét, áre you gríeving Fair Quiet, have I found thee here, Reprinted by permission of Faber & Faber. Over Goldengrove unleaving? And Innocence, thy sister dear! The sunlight on the garden Leáves like the things of mán, you Mistaken long, I sought you then Hardens and turns cold,

- 12 - - 13 - o The Gate in the Wall Now in the early morning, now the late And many a darling wit’s grown dull And singing, and loving—all come back together. Warm afternoon, but always touched with sun, That tossed a bare heel when at school, The Sparrow, the Dove, The Linnet and Thrush The blue gate in the wall, Wandering in the air Now it has filled an old sock full: Say, “I love and I love!” Did you ask what the The small blue gate has gone Of other summers, through the small blue gate And there the King is but as the beggar. birds say? And I alone know all That is no longer there. That was once seen beyond this thick The wind is old and still at play Text: from Answer to a Child’s Question by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Barrier of new brick. Text: The Gate in the Wall by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965) While I must hurry upon my way. (1772-1834) There was a paved walk, long Reprinted by permission of Macmillan. For I am running to Paradise; s Yet never have I lit on a friend The Owl and the Pussycat And narrow, p Running to Paradise Where the small throng To take my fancy like the wind The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea Of saxifrages green That nobody can buy or bind: As I came over Windy Gap In a beautiful pea-green boat, Crept in between And there the King is but as the beggar. They threw a ha’penny into my cap. They took some honey, and plenty of money, The cracks, There was a barrow For I am running to Paradise; Wrapped up in a five-pound note. Half full of withered flowers; Text: Running to Paradise by W B Yeats And all that I need do is to wish The Owl looked up to the stars above, A pear tree, and a bush of silver broom; And somebody puts his hand in the dish And sang to a small guitar, And in that open room, a Birdspeak To throw me a bit of salted fish: “O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love, When there were sunny hours, And there the King is but as the beggar. What a beautiful Pussy you are, A graceful lady walked, Do you ask what the birds say? The Sparrow, You are, With hair as snowy as the pear-tree bloom, My brother Mourteen is worn out the Dove, You are! And voice that always talked With skelping his big brawling lout, The Linnet and Thrush say, “I love and I love!” What a beautiful Pussy you are!” As from a little distance. She And I am running to Paradise; But the Lark is so brimful of gladness and love, Was gone before the blue gate went from me. A poor life, do what he can, The green fields below him, the blue sky above, Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl! But I shall see And though he keep a dog and a gun, That he sings, and he sings; and for ever sings he How charmingly sweet you sing! Often through this new brick A serving-maid and a serving-man: – “I love my Love, and my Love loves me!” O let us be married! too long we have tarried: What other eyes will not be quick And there the King is but as the beggar. But what shall we do for a ring?” Enough to see: In the winter they’re silent – the wind is so strong; They sailed away, for a year and a day, The lady who once moved Poor men have grown to be rich men, What it says, I don’t know, but it sings a loud song. To the land where the Bong-Tree grows Tending the beds and borders that she loved, And rich men grown to be poor again, But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood Whose work was never done. And I am running to paradise; warm weather,

- 14 - - 15 - With a ring in the end of his nose, On a heap Was a moonbeam bare; First blew her away right out of the sky, His nose, Of clouds, to sleep Far off and harmless the shy stars shone: Then blew her in: what strength have I!’ His nose, Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon, Sure and certain the Moon was gone! With a ring in the end of his nose. Muttering low, ‘I’ve done for that Moon!’ But the Moon she knew nothing about the affair; The Wind he took to his revels once more; For, high “Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling He turned in his bed: she was there again! On down In the sky Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.” On high In town, With her one white eye, So they took it away, and were married next day In the sky Like a merry-mad clown, Motionless miles above the air, By the Turkey who lives on the hill. With her one ghost-eye He leapt and holloed with whistle and roar – She had never heard the great Wind blare. They dined on mince, and slices of quince, The Moon shone white and alive and plain: ‘What’s that? The glimmering thread once more!’ Which they ate with a runcible spoon; Said the Wind, ‘I will blow you out again!’ Text: from The Wind and the Moon by George MacDonald (1824-1905) And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, He flew in a rage – he danced and blew; They danced by the light of the moon, The Wind blew hard, and the Moon grew dim. But in vain f Kiss The moon, ‘With my sledge Was the pain The moon, And my wedge Of his bursting brain, Jenny kiss’d me when we met, They danced by the light of the moon. I have knocked off her edge! For the broader he swelled his big cheeks and blew Jumping from the chair she sat in; If only I blow right fierce and grim, Still the broader the Moon-scrap grew. Time, you thief, who love to get Text: The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear (1812-1888) The creature will soon be dimmer than dim!’ Sweets into your book, put that in! Slowly she grew – till she filled the night, Say I’m weary, say I’m sad, d The Wind and the Moon He blew and he blew, and she thinned to a thread. And shone Say that health and wealth have miss’d me, Said the Wind to the Moon, ‘I will blow you out! ‘One puff On her throne Say I’m growing old, but add, You stare More’s enough In the sky alone Jenny kiss’d me. In the air To blow her to snuff! A matchless, wonderful, silvery light, Like a Ghost in a chair One good puff more where the last was bred, Radiant and lovely, the queen of the night. Text: Jenny Kiss’d Me by Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) Always looking what I am about: And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread!’ I hate to be watched; I will blow you out!’ Said the Wind, ‘What a marvel of power am I! He blew a great blast, and the thread was gone. With my breath, So the Wind blew hard, and out went the Moon. In the air In good faith, So, deep Nowhere I blew her to death! –

- 16 - - 17 - - 18 - - 19 - stephen wilkinson He also worked with the Nederlands Kamerkoor, Berthold Brecht to make a single movement, the BBC Singers, the RTE singers in Dublin The Singing will never be done. He has since set Stephen Wilkinson was born into a clerical and choirs in Iceland and New England. three Faroese poems for Torshavn Chamber Choir family in Cambridgeshire in 1919. He was a and five texts fromThe Tempest entitled And choirboy at Christ Church, Oxford, under W H Always active in amateur music making, sometimes voices. Harris and Organ Scholar at Queens’ College, especially for the Earnest Read Music Cambridge. He served in the Navy through the Association, Benslow Music Trust and Canford Several of his works have been given on BBC war, then became Director of the Hertfordshire Summer School, Stephen was awarded the Radio 3. Dover Beach, a CD of his choral music, Rural Music School from 1947. He was on the MBE in 1992 and an honorary degree by was released in 2012. The Flemish Radio Choir music staff of the BBC in Leeds from 1953, later Manchester University. gave the title work its first continental in Manchester. He was conductor of the BBC performance and have since toured it around Northern Singers until 1993, when they became He championed new music throughout his long Europe and the UK. Belgian radio broadcast the Britten Singers. Their appearances at the career, commissioning new works and running it in 2014. The BBC Singers have recently major festivals such as Aldeburgh, Edinburgh composers’ competitions. broadcast Betjeman’s Bells under Bart Van and the Proms won them altogether exceptional Reyn. Further performance awaits Some Psalms, critical acclaim. He was founder conductor of the William Byrd Three Elegies, That Time of Year and other works. Singers of Manchester and their companion They sang widely around Europe, in Turkey, young string ensemble Capriccio, which has Please visit: Thailand, Hong Kong and Australia and made helped many gifted players to launch their www.clare-wilkinson.com/stephen_wilkinson a number of records, some selected as Critics’ careers. In 2009, at 90, he gave up conducting for scores, many available as free downloads, Choice in Gramophone. Several works were them to devote his energies to composition. and further information. written for them, and they gave numerous first performances by composers including Forsyths of Manchester publish two volumes Walton, Holst, Elizabeth Maconchy, Nicholas of solo songs, The Sunlight on the Garden and Maw, Lennox Berkeley, John McCabe, Wilfrid Eternal Summer. The Other Carol Book for choir Mellers and John Joubert. and Grass Roots, his choral arrangements of folk songs, are available from Banks of York. Two short pieces commissioned by Manchester Chamber Choir were extended by a poem by

- 20 - - 21 - MATTHEW BROOK Minor Mass, and Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Esther, all with the Dunedin Consort (Linn Matthew Brook has appeared as a soloist Records); and Il Re di Scozia in Handel’s throughout Europe, Australia, North and South Ariodante with Il Complesso Barocco and Joyce America and the Far East, and has worked DiDonato in the title role (EMI/Virgin). with conductors such as Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Richard Hickox, Sir Charles Mackerras, Harry JAMES GILCHRIST Christophers, Christophe Rousset, Harry Bicket, Paul McCreesh, John Butt, Bernard Labadie James Gilchrist was a choral scholar at King’s and Sir Mark Elder, and many orchestras College, Cambridge, after which he began his and groups including the Philharmonia, the working life as a doctor. Turning to a full-time London Symphony Orchestra, the St Petersburg music career in 1996, he has since performed Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, at major concert halls throughout the world, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Freiburg with conductors including Harry Bicket, Harry Baroque Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Christophers, Stephen Cleobury, Sir John Eliot Enlightenment, the English Baroque Soloists, Gardiner, Richard Hickox, Bernard Labadie the Gabrieli Consort & Players, The Sixteen, and Sir Roger Norrington. His wide-ranging The English Concert, the Royal Northern repertoire encompasses Britten’s War Requiem, Sinfonia, Les Talens Lyriques, Orchestre National Matthew’s recordings include Counsel Trial Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings and and Julius Drake (piano) and Alison Nicholls de Lille, l’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, By Jury and Friar Tuck in Sullivan’s Nocturne; Haydn The Seasons and Creation; (harp), he is noted for his Schumann cycles, Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, the Hallé Ivanhoe with the BBC National Orchestra of Tippett The Knot Garden; Bach Christmas Schubert songs, and mastery of English song. Orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Wales (Chandos Records); Bach’s Christmas Oratorio; Schumann Das Paradies und die His discography on Chandos, Linn Records the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Oratorio with the Orchestra of the Age of Peri; Handel Messiah; and Stravinsky Pulcinella. and Orchid Classics includes works by Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, the Cincinnati Enlightenment (Hyperion); Haydn’s The Creation As the Evangelist in Bach’s St Matthew and Britten, Bliss, Gurney, Warlock, Vaughan Symphony Orchestra, the Tonhalle-Orchester, with the Handel and Haydn Society under St John Passions, James is recognised as Williams, Finzi, Leighton, Bach, Schumann Zurich, Soi Deo Gloria, Collegium Vocale Gent, Harry Christophers (Coro); two Gramophone ‘the finest Evangelist of his generation’; and Schubert. and the City of London Sinfonia. Award-winning recordings of Handel’s original as one critic noted, ‘he hasn’t become a Dublin score of Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem, one-man Evangelist industry by chance’. In Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Magnificat and B recital, with regular partners Anna Tilbrook

- 22 - - 23 - MHAIRI LAWSON English National Opera and with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in Berkeley, California. While still a student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Mhairi appeared on a In 2016, Mhairi completed a month’s residency BBC Radio 3 broadcast of Schubert, Haydn at the Carmel Bach Festival in the USA where and Mozart Lieder with the fortepianist Olga performances included the role of ‘Elettra’ in Tverskaya which led to her first CD recording Mozart’s Idomeneo, Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas of Haydn’s English and Scottish Songs Brasileiras No.5, Bach’s Mass in B minor and (premiere recording on original instruments). CPE Bach’s Magnificat. The same season’s engagements included Purcell’s Fairy Queen Since then, Mhairi has sung in theatres and with the Academy of Ancient Music at London’s concert halls worldwide with such companies Barbican Centre, performances in Scotland, as English National Opera, The Gabrieli London and Mexico with the Dunedin Consort Consort, The Academy of Ancient Music and and the title role in Handel’s Semele for the The Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Commercial City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. recordings include Haydn’s Creation with the Choir of New College, Oxford, Venice by Night Mhairi is a Professor of Voice and Historical with la Serenissima, Monteverdi Madrigals Performance Practice at the Guildhall School of with Les Arts Florissants, two discs of Schubert’s Orchestra in Lisbon and Haydn’s Die Music and Drama, London. Particularly passionate about Bach, Clare has Lieder with pianist Eugene Asti and Handel’s Schoepfung with the Galician Symphony been alto soloist in all his major works with Apollo e Dafne with Ensemble Marsyas Orchestra. Mhairi has performed many times CLARE WILKINSON Sir John Eliot Gardiner, highlights being at London’s Wigmore Hall with The Early Cantata 170, Vergnügte Ruh, at the Spiegelsaal Recent highlights were performances of Opera Company, Ensemble Marsyas and the Clare Wilkinson, described as ‘flawless... Köthen and the Matthew Passion at the Brahms’ Requiem in Dublin, Gorecki’s Symphony Dunedin Consort. heartfelt... heavenly’ (Early Music America), Thomaskirche Leipzig. Bach recordings include of Sorrowful Songs with the Estonian National ‘totally beguiling’ (Guardian), makes music the Magnificat (Butt), Welt, Gute Nacht Symphony Orchestra, Bach’s St Matthew On the large-scale operatic stage in the USA, with groups of different shapes and sizes (Gardiner), the St John & St Matthew Passion with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Mhairi sang in Purcell’s King Arthur with the – baroque orchestra, consort of viols, vocal Passions (Butt), the St Mark Passion (Willens) the St Paul Chamber Orchestra (Minnesota, Mark Morris Dance Group’s production at New consort, lute, piano – and loves them all. and Trauer-Music (Parrott – Gramophone USA), Handel’s Solomon with the Gulbenkian York City Opera, in which she appeared also at Critics’ Choice).

- 24 - - 25 - Equally at home with viols, Clare sings with Award-winning Messiah (Butt), a Telemann cantata programmes including Shropshire and Other The Rose Consort of Viols and Fretwork, both with Florilegium, Mynstrelles with Straunge Lads, a celebration of A. E. Housman; Anthem on stage and in the recording studio, enjoying Sounds & Gramophone Award-nominated for Doomed Youth, a commemoration of World a comprehensive survey of the repertoire, Adoramus te (Rose Consort of Viols), and War One; and Philip Larkin’s England. He is a from William Byrd to Tan Dun. Orfeo (Parrott). The Silken Tent (Fretwork), member of both the piano-and-wind ensemble featuring two songs of Byrd never recorded Zephyr and the Elysnan Horn Trio, formed Clare also enjoys stage work: for example before, is available via the Fretwork website when the group were students at the Venere in Monteverdi’s Ballo dell’Ingrate (BBC and for release on Signum Records in 2017. Royal Northern College of Music; and is the Proms), Galatea (London Handel Festival), director and pianist of Pixels Ensemble. Amore in Gluck’s Orfeo (Ministry of Operatic Clare runs Courtiers of Grace, a group Affairs) and I Fagiolini’s renowned ‘secret specialising in programmes which tell stories Ian teaches at the Universities of Leeds and theatre’ project The Full Monteverdi. As a through music and readings. Please visit Liverpool and is an examiner with ABRSM. member of I Fagiolini, staged madrigal www.clare-wilkinson.com and Current CD releases include transcriptions comedies and banana gags are also all in a www.courtiersofgrace.com for cello and piano with Jonathan Aasgaard, day’s work for her. a recital of new works for clarinet and piano IAN BUCKLE with former BBC Young Musician winner Mark Numerous composers have written for Clare. Simpson, violin and piano music by Edward Works by her father Stephen, John Joubert, Ian Buckle maintains a varied performing career German with Andrew Long, and a disc of and Duncan Druce received premières at the working as soloist, accompanist, chamber inception, premiering many new works in English music with clarinettist Nicholas Cox. Wigmore Hall. She sings her father’s songs – musician and orchestral pianist. He enjoys concerts nationwide including at Wigmore Hall A recording of Gershwin’s New York Rhapsody with piano, lute or viols – regularly, recently especially strong relationships with the Royal and on BBC Radio 3; and his piano duo with the John Wilson Orchestra live from the at King’s Place and the Trigonale Festival, Liverpool Philharmonic and the John Wilson with Richard Casey specialises in performing Royal Albert Hall is available on iTunes. Ian Austria. Young Belgian composer Thomas Orchestra, and has appeared with both as music from the last and current centuries. holds a season ticket at Sheffield Wednesday Smetreyns wrote a set of songs for which she soloist on numerous occasions. He has also Football Club and is an enthusiast for French attempted a lyre part in addition to the vocal played concertos with the Royal Philharmonic, Ian has had works written for him by Benjamin cinema and nice restaurants. line, recorded as part of CD Divine Madness. Opera North, Sinfonia Viva and the Hackbarth, Timothy Jackson, Martin Iddon and Manchester Concert Orchestras. Committed to Michael Spencer. He frequently collaborates In addition to the discs mentioned above, contemporary music, he has been the with former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion in Clare’s many recordings include a Gramophone pianist in Ensemble 10/10 since the group’s giving recitals of piano music and poetry, recent

- 26 - - 27 - ANNA MARKLAND When not immersed in music, Anna’s other passion is vegetable growing on her allotment, Anna Markland defied the sceptics whilst both and she feels that the patience and nurturing at school and college, and has had varied required to produce successful produce perfectly and wonderful careers not only as a pianist mirrors the dedication needed to be a musician. but also as a singer for the last thirty plus years.

She was educated at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and in 1982 won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. Many concerto and recital performances followed, and in 1984 she went to Worcester College, Oxford to read music. She spent two years as a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music studying with Philip Fowke, a teacher who continues to inspire her to this day, and with whom she has performed extensively, focusing on the two piano repertoire. projects include accompanying singers from During her time at Oxford she became a founder Oxford University for their finals recitals, and member of the now internationally-recognised collaborations with The Pixels Ensemble, a vocal ensemble I Fagiolini, thus beginning group specialising in both classical and her singing career as Anna Crookes. 2015 twentieth century repertoire, to perform Luciano highlights included a Carnegie Hall debut Berio’s iconic Sequenza Three for solo voice. in New York and a new ‘first’ when she both sang and played the piano on Amuse No two days are ever the same for Anna, and Bouche, a recording of French twentieth-century this has resulted in a joy of music in all its music for Decca, released in April 2016 and forms; whether teaching, playing, adjudicating, followed by a Wigmore Hall performance. Recent accompanying, recording or singing!

- 28 - - 29 - The Songs of Especially warm thanks to the following people, Stephen Wilkinson without whom this disk could not have been made: Nigel Bird & Rosemary Thomason, Jean & John Blundell, Stephen Brosnan, Now available in two Mrs P Brown, Kieran Cooper, Mark & Ros Flinn, Norma & Tim Gillott-King, beautifully presented Dot & Roger Graham, Becca Hall,Jenny & Tony Howard, David Johnson, sheet music editions Dr Colin Mumford, Rachel Payne, Ray & Muriel Pearce, Dr Leonie Saint, from Forsyth Publishing Wolfgang Truger, and another supporter who prefers to remain anonymous. We are also grateful for the generous support of the Ida Carroll Trust and members of the William Byrd Singers.

www.forsyths.co.uk Most indispensable of all, always, is Delyth Wilkinson. To her, therefore, our greatest thanks and love.

Recorded in Wyastone Concert Hall, Monmouthshire, UK from 12th to 14th October 2015. “It was a real delight to get to know Stephen’s songs. Of course I’d known his name for Producer, Engineer and Editor – Adrian Hunter

a long time, but to my shame had never learned any of his songs. His songs are passionate Cover Image – Courtesy of Forsyth Brothers Ltd and beautifully written. Singable lines and full of interplay between the piano and voice. Artist and Session photos – © Andrew Wilkinson Photography Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk He’s able to do humour too, which many composers seem to find troublesome. I really enjoyed P 2017 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd performing “Chapels”, which combines humour, bitterness and wisdom effortlessly. And such © 2017 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd a variety of poets - old and new. And that he’s still writing such fresh music in his 90s is truly Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action remarkable. I’ve luckily been able to get some of his songs (such as the haunting “In the bleak by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. midwinter”) into programmes since, and I want to keep going and get more out there.” SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. James Gilchrist +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] www.signumrecords.com

- 30 - - 31 - ALSO AVAILABLE on signumclassics

Fire & Ice: Love Songs from 16th Century Venice Dreamscape: Songs & Trios by Musica Antiqua of London, Philip Thorby director Andrzej & Roxanna Panufnik Clare Wilkinson mezzo-soprano Heather Shipp mezzo-soprano SIGCD035 Subito Piano Trio SIGCD380

“these performances…. communicate an infectious sense of “This is intensely personal music-making, beautifully performed.” enjoyment and enthusiasm (and) make thoroughly satisfying The Observer listening.” Daily Telegraph

Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000

- 20 - CTP Template: CD_INL1 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay CYAN MAGENTA Customer SignumClassics YELLOW Catalogue No.SIGCD516 BLACK Job Title: Sunlight

SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD516

THE SUNLIGHT ON THE GARDEn

THE SONGS OF STEPHEN WILKINSON (b.1919) GARDEN THE ON SUNLIGHT THE

1 Grantchester [5.34] r Maude Gonne takes down a book [2.32] 2 Proud Songsters [1.28] t Politics [1.04] 3 At the Manger [4.08] y Spring & Fall [2.39] 4 Joly Jankyn [3.13] u The Garden [3.32] STEPHEN WILKINSON 5 Eternal Summer [2.22] i The Sunlight on the Garden [2.25] 6 Winter Snow [1.05] o The Gate in the Wall [3.25] 7 Chapels [3.04] p Running to Paradise [1.57] 8 Heaven [5.53] a Birdspeak [1.58] 9 The Hour-Glass [2.01] s The Owl and the Pussycat [3.00] 0 Come away, Death [3.23] d The Wind and the Moon [4.54] q Crabbed age & youth [2.02] f Kiss [0.44] w To a Young Girl [1.17]

Total timings: [65.01] WILKINSON STEPHEN e O do not love too long [1.35]

Mhairi Lawson soprano | Clare Wilkinson mezzo-soprano James Gilchrist tenor | Matthew Brook bass

THE SUNLIGHT ON THE GARDEN Ian Buckle & Anna Markland piano

LC15723 Signum Records Ltd, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth SIGCD516

CLASSICS Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom. P 2017 Signum Records DDD SIGCD516 © 2017 Signum Records www.signumrecords.com 24 bit digital recording 6 35212 05162 7 SIGNUM