Let the Bright Seraphim Music for the Vauxhall Gardens George F. Handel Compiled by Crispian Steele-Perkins Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51 Johann Sebastian Bach i ‘March’ from Judas Maccabeus, HWV 63 [1.22] 1 Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen [4.13] o ‘Sinfonia’ from Floridante, HWV 14 [1.20] 2 Recit: Wir beten zu dem Tempel an [2.04] p ‘Lentement’ from Dedemia, HWV 42 [1.46] 3 Aria: Höchster [4.09] a ‘March’ from Scipione, HWV 20 [1.28] 4 Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren [3.22] s Eternal Source of Light Divine, HWV 74 [3.21] 5 Alleluia [2.18] “Water Music” Trumpet Concerto in D major Georg Philipp Telemann d Overture [1.43] 6 i. Adagio [1.47] f Air [1.50] 7 ii. Allegro [1.57] g Hornpipe [3.39] 8 iii. Grave [1.57] 9 iv. Allegro [1.51] h ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’ from Samson, HWV 57 [5.24]
Su le sponde del Tebro Alessandro Scarlatti Total timings: [59.07] 0 Sinfonia [1.29] q Recitativo: Su le sponde del Tebro [0.59] w Aria: Contentatevi, o fidi pensieri [2.54] e Recitativo: Mesto, stanco e spirante [0.35] r Arioso: Infelici miei lumi [3.15] ELIN MANAHAN THOMAS SOPRANO CRISPIAN STEELE-PERKINS TRUMPET t Aria: Dite almeno [1.55] ARMONICO CONSORT y Recitativo: All’aura, al cielo [0.52] CHRISTOPHER MONKS Musical DIRECTOR u Aria: Tralascia pur di piangere [1.34]
www.signumrecords.com Bach, Telemann, Alessandro Scarlatti (father of Cantata 51 follows the traditional chorale the finest ‘Alleluia’ setting before that in Mozart’s control of breathing and embouchure. As Crispian Domenico Scarlatti) and Handel were arguably cantata pattern. The first movement is a brilliant Exsultate, Jubilate. Steele-Perkins has commented: ‘What is remarkable the four greatest composers of their time, and all da capo aria, in ritornello form, that features is that Telemann must have known a player capable of them wrote superbly, and in their own ways, for bravura passage-work for the singer and the Though Bach was an enormously prolific composer, of playing this upon a 7 foot 8 inch piece of pipe’. the trumpet – not the modern valved trumpet, but trumpeter, often in virtuoso counterpoint that he – and just about everyone else – was outdone the longer, valve-less Baroque trumpet, ingeniously ranks among Bach’s most original writing for a in this regard by his contemporary Georg Philipp The trumpet is certainly the focus of attention in disguising the instrument’s very limited range, voice with an obbligato instrument. The recitative Telemann, whose total of works runs into the the opening Adagio, but here it is its expressive which was confined to its harmonic series in second movement opens with a serene chordal thousands. Telemann is known to have composed and sonorous qualities that come to the fore. In (with very few exceptions) the keys of D and C. accompaniment in the upper strings over a bass several concertos using the trumpet: there is the following Allegro, the interest is more equably This programme eloquently demonstrates how ostinato. The soprano’s part, at first restrained one for trumpet and 2 oboes, another for trumpet divided between the violins and the trumpet, in their hands the instrument could be festive, and mostly syllabic, becomes much more ornate and violin, and at least two for 3 trumpets. As far while in the Grave third movement, in B minor, dramatic or deeply expressive as an adjunct both as it develops. There is a notable example of as I am aware, however, he wrote only one concerto the trumpeter is allowed a rest and the expressive to solo voices and to the Baroque orchestra. Bach’s word-painting at the word ‘lallen’, set in which a single trumpet is the sole soloist, phrases are unfolded just by violins and continuo. to a long-drawn-out, rather jagged melisma. namely the Trumpet Concerto in D major for It is the Allegro finale that really puts the trumpet J.S. Bach’s solo cantata Jauchzet Gott in allen The ensuing aria, in a flowing 12/8 rhythm, is trumpet, violins, and basso continuo. In fact very through its paces, in a bright, joyous conclusion Landen, BWV 51, for the combination of soprano, under-girded by a mainly stepwise bass line few other trumpet concerti by German composers to a concise but entertaining piece. trumpet, strings and continuo, is believed to have that gives the impression of aspiring continually are known from this period, and it is possible been composed in about 1730, by which time the upwards. The soprano’s elaborate, wide-ranging that Telemann’s is among the first of them to Su le sponde del Tebro (On the Banks of the Tiber) composer had been Kantor of the Thomaskirche melodic line perfectly complements the prayer for use this title, though essentially this is work in is one of possibly 800 solo chamber cantatas in Leipzig for about seven years. Though it was God to bestow his mercies each day. the Italianate sonata da chiesa (Church Sonata) that Alessandro Scarlatti, one of the greatest intended for the 15th Sunday after Trinity, the form. Though its exact date is not known, this masters of that early Baroque genre, composed text – which is possibly Bach’s own literary The last movement opens with a violin duet, against sparkling work dates from somewhere in the period during his career. Such works were commissioned effort – does not correspond closely to appointed which the soprano enunciates the chorale melody 1710-1720, so most probably while Telemann by the aristocracy and plutocracy of Italy for readings for that Sunday, which are concerned ‘Nun Lob’, mein Seel’, den Herren’. There are joyful, was City Director of Music in Frankfurt, a post he performance at their houses to entertain guests with vanity and faithlessness; and Bach added extended ritornello sections, making much use of occupied from 1712 to 1721. The sonata da chiesa or for special occasions. They were also performed the qualification ‘et in ogni tempo’, indicating the instrumental imitation. The movement, and the customarily has four movements arranged in a at conversazioni or academies: gatherings of work could, in fact, be performed at any time. work, culminates in a blissful setting of ‘Alleluia’ in slow-fast-slow-fast pattern, and this is the case the nobility with their friends. Though most of which the trumpet rejoins the soprano for a display here. Telemann makes extraordinary demands on Scarlatti’s cantatas have little to suggest a precise of spiritual virtuosity that has often been rated the trumpet soloist: the part requires exceptional dating, this one (one of the more remarkable,
- 4 - - 5 - precisely because of the trumpet obbligato) is the trumpet comes into its own as a martial and and the other the Bass (sometimes figures). Finally one of the most famous of all ‘trumpet believed to have been written between 1690 and heroic instrument, its triumphal music expressing The Alto and Tenor parts are either missing or arias’, namely the joyous ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’ 1695, during his 20-year sojourn as maestro di Aminto’s resolve to endure. require composing/editing. The two marches are from the oratorio Samson. It makes a fitting cappella to the royal court of Naples. transposed from the horn key of G to the trumpet finale to a programme devoted to the harmonious The pleasant parklands of Vauxhall Gardens, key of D … but harmonies have been taken from interplay of trumpet and voice. The general character of Su le sponde del with their stages and pavilions, formed one of later rather than original versions’. Tebro is pastoral, exploring the conventional the leading venues for public entertainment in © 2012 by Malcolm MacDonald situation of an unrequited love. The text and the 18th-century London. Tightrope walkers, hot-air The aria with trumpet ‘Eternal Source of Light form of the cantata, which derives ultimately balloon ascents, concerts and fireworks provided Divine’, here sung by soprano (but originally from the madrigals of Monteverdi, are shaped amusement, and in their musical capacity the composed for the unusually high tenor voice of by narrative passages interspersed with the Gardens were most closely associated with George Richard Elford) comes from Handel’s 1713 Birthday pathetic recitatives and arias of the lovelorn Frideric Handel, whose statue (now to be seen Ode for Queen Anne, probably his first royal Aminto. Thus impersonal narration contrasts in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum) stood commission. Like his Utrecht Te Deum completed with lyrically-expressed, human emotion. The arias within the grounds. Crispian Steele-Perkins has shortly before, it shows Handel imitating the style are designed to contrast and complement one accordingly given the collection of nine disparate of Purcell, well-loved by the two queens, Mary and another both emotionally and musically. Scarlatti Handel pieces in this programme the overall title Anne – and Elford himself had sung for Purcell. uses a trumpet as an obbligato instrument and ‘Music for the Vauxhall Gardens’ as examples in duo textures with the voice. After the orchestral of music that might at any time have been The three pieces of Water Music are in fact sinfonia, and the scene-setting recitative, the heard there. The first four pieces, extracted from probably not all by Handel, though the concluding opening aria features a trumpet obbligato with one oratorio and three operas, are the famous Hornpipe, which survives in various forms, a vocal part that imitates the trumpet themes. marches from Judas Maccabeus and Scipione, certainly is. Steele-Perkins believes that the Probably the most remarkable movement in a Sinfonia from Floridante and a ‘Lentement’ Overture and Air, which come from the ‘Famous the cantata is ‘Infelice miei lumi’, designated from Handel’s last opera Deidamia. Crispian Water Piece’, a five-movement suite in D major an ‘arioso’ because of its free form: this is rich Steele-Perkins says he has compiled them ‘in for trumpet, strings and continuo ascribed to in chromaticism, suspensions, and diminished- the syle of Walsh’s ‘Musica Bellicosa’1 published Handel in a manuscript in Cambridge’s seventh chords as Aminto gives voice to his grief. in various guises throughout the 18th century, Pendlebury Library, may in fact be the work ‘Dite almeno’ is an aria written over an ostinato probably for mainly (but not exclusively) of the trumpeter, flautist and composer John 1 That is, Musica Bellicosa, or Warlike Music. Being a Choice Collection of sixty-eight Marches and Trumpet-tunes for the bass, and highly inventive rhythmically. Another instructional use. These usually comprise two Baptist Grano (c.1692–c.1748), who worked with German Flute, Violin & Hautboy, with a Through Bass to the brief narration precedes the final aria, in which part books, one containing the melodies (Treble) Handel at the opera house in London’s Haymarket. whole, published by John Walsh in London, 1733.
- 6 - - 7 - TEXTS 3 Aria: Höchster
Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51 Höchster, mache deine Güte Highest One, renew Thy goodness Johann Sebastian Bach ferner alle Morgen neu. each morning from now on. So soll vor die Vatertreu Thus for Thy father’s love 1 Jauchzet Gott allen Landen auch ein dankbares Gemüte shall a grateful soul durch ein frommes Leben weisen, show through a righteous life Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen! Rejoice unto God in all lands! dass wir deine Kinder heißen. that we are called Your children. Was der Himmel und die Welt Every creature, An Geschöpfen in sich hält, in heaven and earth 4 Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren müssen dessen Ruhm erhöhen, must exalt His fame, und wir wollen unserm Gott and we would likewise bring Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren Laud and praise with honour gleichfalls itzt ein Opfer bringen, our God an offering now, Gott Vater, Sohn, Heiligem Geist! God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost! dass er uns in Kreuz und Not for that He has always stood beside us, Der woll’ in uns vermehren, May He increase in us allezeit hat beigestanden. in affliction and distress. was er uns aus Gnaden verheißt, what He pledges us in mercy: dass wir ihm fest vertrauen, that we may firmly trust in Him, 2 Recit: Wir beten zu dem Tempel an gänzlich uns lass’n auf ihn, wholly depend on Him von Herzen auf ihn bauen, and rely on Him with our hearts, Wir beten zu dem Tempel an, We worship in your temple, dass uns’r Herz, Mut und Sinn that our heart, mind and will da Gottes Ehre wohnet, where God’s own glory dwells, ihm festiglich anhangen; steadfastly cling to Him; da dessen Treu, since His faith, drauf singen wir zur Stund: to this now let us sing: so täglich neu, which is new every morning, Amen, wir werdn’s erlangen, Amen, we shall achieve it, mit lauter Segen lohnet. is rewarded with pure blessings. glaub’n wir aus Herzensgrund. if we believe with all our heart. Wir preisen, was er an uns hat getan. We praise Him for what He hath done for us. Muss gleich der schwache Mund von seinen Though our feeble voices babble 5 Alleluia Wundern lallen, about His wonders, so kann ein schlechtes Lob ihm dennoch our meager praise can nonetheless still Alleluia! Alleluia! wohlgefallen. please Him.
- 8 - - 9 - Su le sponde del Tebro e Recitativo: Mesto, stanco e spirant Alessandro Scarlatti Mesto, stanco e spirante Sad, weary and sighing q Recitativo: Su le sponde del Tebro dal duol che l’opprimea, through the sorrow that oppresses him Su le sponde del Tebro On the banks of the Tiber, rivolto a gl’occhi suoi, he turns his eyes ove le Dee latine where the Latin goddesses così dicea: and thus he speaks: fecero à gl’Archi make for their bows lor corde del crine, strings from their hair, r Arioso: Infelici miei lumi colà, colà Aminta il fido there, there, faithful Aminta da Clori vilipeso scorned by Chloris Infelici miei lumi Unhappy eyes of mine, con dolore infinito with infinite sorrow già che soli noi siamo, now we are alone, disse al ciel’, declared to heaven aprite il varco al pianto, open your gates to my weeping, disse al mondo, declared to the world, e concedete al core, and allow my heart io son tradito! I am betrayed! che tramandi su gl’occhi to pass on to my eyes il mio dolore my sorrow. w Aria: Contentatevi, o fidi pensieri t Contentatevi, Be content Aria: Dite almeno o fidi pensieri, My faithful thoughts, trattenervi per guardie Keep check and watch Dite almeno Tell me, at least, al mio core. Over my heart astri crudeli cruel stars, quando mai vi offese il petto, when my heart is so sore Che gl’affanni gigantic guerrieri For giant warlike troubles he ricetto what remedy dan’l’assalto make assault voi lo fate di dolore. you have for sorrow. et è duce il dolore. and sorrow is their leader. E già martire d’amore And now a martyr to love Oricalchi di mesti sospiri Brazen trumpets of sad sighs nelle lagrime defeli In faithful tears Segno danno d’attacco potente. signal powerful attack a sperar solo è costretto. he must only hope. Ed a truppe I tiranni martiri and tyrant sufferings together Dimmi, o ciel, se de’ miei mali, Tell me, O heaven, if my ills Fanno breccia al mio seno innocente. breach my innocent bosom. sono ancor satie le sfere, are enough for the spheres
- 10 - - 11 - Che sì fiere that so cruelly s Eternal Source of Light Divine, HWV 74 A penar m’han destinato? have destined me for suffering? Crudo ciel, perfido fato, Cruel heaven, false fate, Eternal source of light divine Con saette più mortali with arrows more deadly With double warmth thy beams display, Del mio sen fatale arciere. to my heart, fatal archer. And with distinguish’d glory shine, To add a lustre to this day. y Recitativo: All’ aura, al cielo Ambrose Philips (1674-1749) All’aura, al cielo, ai venti To the air, to heaven, to the winds pastorello gentil così parlava, the gentle shepherd so spoke, h ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’ from Samson, HWV 57 e pur l’aura crudel fido adorava. and then, trusting, paid honour to the cruel breeze. Let the bright Seraphim in Ma conscendo alfine But understanding at last burning row their loud uplifted che nè pianti, nè preghi that neither weeping nor prayer angel-trumpets blow. sapevano addolcire would soften un cor di sasso a heart of stone Let the cherubic host, in tuneful risoluto e costante resolute and constant choir, touch their immortal così disse al cor schernito, he spoke thus to his scorned heart harps with golden wire. schernito amante: scorned, loving: Let the bright Seraphim in u Aria: Tralascia pur di piangere burning row their loud uplifted angel-trumpets blow Tralascia pur di piangere, Leave then your weeping, povero afflittto cor, poor troubled heart, che sprezzato dal tuo fato for disdained by your fate non ti resta it remains for you che compiangere d’un infida il suo rigor. to lament the faithless one’s cruelty.
- 12 - - 13 - ELIN MANAHAN THOMAS CRISPIAN STEELE-PERKINS
Born and bred in Swansea, Elin read Anglo-Saxon, Crispian Steele-Perkins is a trumpet soloist who is Norse and Celtic at Clare College Cambridge, world-renowned for the quality of his performances before moving to the musical world and a and wide-ranging musical experience. On busy career of performing, broadcasting and graduating from the Guildhall School of Music, presenting. She released her debut album, Eternal Crispian spent his early career playing with the Light, in 2007 with the Orchestra of the Age of English National Opera and Royal Philharmonic Enlightenment; and is the first singer ever to Orchestra. He then spent 15 years working in record Bach’s Alles mit Gott, a birthday ode written recording, TV and film studios, developing a body in 1713 and discovered in 2005. of work which is universally recognizable today, from Handel to James Bond themes and pop She first received great acclaim for her ‘Pie classics. His interest in collecting and restoring Jesu’ on Naxos’ award-winning recording of the antique trumpets led him to begin performing on Rutter Requiem, and won critical praise for her category. Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, also with them – you may have heard Crispian’s playing Carolyn Sampson, Bryn Terfel, Sir John Tomlinson, performance in Bach’s St Matthew Passion at Florilegium, was BBC Music Magazine Choice of introducing the BBC’s ‘The Antiques Roadshow’. Elin Manahan Thomas and Lesley Garrett have the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, under Sir John Eliot the Month; and her 2011 release Ravish’d with firmly established his reputation. Gardiner. She has performed in Classic FM’s Sacred Extasies was awarded Pizzicato Magazine’s His unique performances and recordings on fifteenth birthday concert, at Songs of Praise’s ‘The coveted Supersonic Award. genuine historic instruments led Continuo His work in the studios has included more than Big Sing’, and gave the World Première of Sir John Magazine to describe him as ‘the world’s leading 80 films, TV scores and commercials, appearing Tavener’s Requiem in Liverpool Cathedral (also Her concert performances have taken her to many player of the Baroque trumpet’. Playing alongside alongside Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Bob Geldof, Sir recorded for EMI). Elin was invited to perform in of the world’s leading venues, from the Wigmore some of the world’s greatest singers, Crispian’s Harry Secombe, Kate Bush, Elaine Page, Chris the Vatican on Easter Sunday, and appeared at Hall to St Mark’s Venice and she has sung for purity of tone and artistic subtlety has received Rea and Lulu. His many solo recordings extend the Edinburgh International Festival with the Royal such distinguished conductors as Richard Hickox, critical acclaim for more than three decades. from Purcell to Gershwin and his largest Flanders Ballet. Elin has released five solo albums, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Harry Christophers, Paul Recordings of Handel’s ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’ ‘live’ audience was 133,000 at the Edinburgh and appeared as featured soloist on innumerable McCreesh, Thierry Fischer and Stephen Layton. As with Dame Kiri te Kanawa and ‘Eternal source of International Festival. discs. BBC Music Magazine awarded her recording well as being a busy singer, Elin is also greatly in Light Divine’ with James Bowman are familiar of Vivaldi motets five stars, while International demand as a presenter and broadcaster, for the to many. More recently his recordings and Record Review placed it in their ‘Outstanding’ BBC and S4C. performances with Emma Kirkby, Lynne Dawson,
- 14 - - 15 - ARMONICO CONSORT Armonico Consort is grateful to many funders be possible without the generous support of for making these ventures possible. Arts Council many charitable trusts, businesses and private Armonico Consort is the largest arts organisation Academy is to create new choirs with sustainable England, Youth Music and many regional individuals and we are enormously grateful to of its type in the UK, with its choir, orchestra and leadership consisting of over 50,000 over the next authorities across the UK are just some of the all of them. Please visit www.armonico.org.uk opera company performing unique programmes 5 years. statutory funders who invest in our work. The for more information about how to help invest and finding new ways to bring classical music considerable achievements however would not in the future Armonico Consort. to modern audiences through projects such as In its first ten years, the achievements of Armonico ‘Supersize Polyphony’, ‘Naked Byrd’, ‘Too Hot to Consort have been stratospheric – and highlights Handel’ and ‘Monteverdi’s Flying Circus’ (written have included: Magic Flute at the Barbican in by Kit Hesketh Harvey). The group prides itself London, Vivaldi Violin Concertos at the Hampton on working with only the finest talent, and its Court Palace Festival with Nicola Benedetti, original (and occasionally unusual) approach Carmina Burana at the RSC new Theatre with to performing almost 50 concerts every year has 350 AC Academy children, and amongst the earned it two 5 star reviews in The Times and The many inspirational names to have worked with Independent in the last year. the group are Jeremy Irons, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Willard White, Dame Emma Kirkby and The proudest achievement of Armonico Consort in Dame Evelyn Glennie – the final three also the last 11 years is the foundation of AC Academy being artistic patrons of Armonico Consort. – a fully accessible and interactive education programme which has benefited over 100,000 Future plans of Armonico Consort include a young people, and currently sees over 800 children brand new opera – ‘Baroque Around the Clock’, sing in an AC Academy Choir every week across a national tour of ‘Too Hot to Handel’, an the UK. The specialist leaders of AC Academy appearance on BBC Radio 3, a tour with Elin now work in partnership with the Royal Albert Manahan Thomas including a performance Hall, in a relationship which will see over 1,500 at King’s College Cambridge as part of the AC Academy members perform in a gala concert Cambridge Summer Music Festival and tours to in March 2013. In projects which see teachers the US of ‘Supersize Polyphony’ and ‘Monteverdi’s trained as choir leaders, and choir creation Flying Circus’. programmes in school – the intention of AC
- 16 - - 17 - CHRISTOPHER MONKS
As founder and Artistic Director of Armonico Consort, Christopher is a dynamic and innovative conductor and keyboard player. Equally at home with early, classical and modern music, he is This disc is dedicated to the memory of John Wallis. A talented engineer, he found in music and singing a joy the driving force behind Armonico Consort’s which he passed on to us, his family. We hope it will bring pleasure to many and for someone, perhaps, be the success, developing the group into a choir and beginning of just such a lifelong delight in music. orchestra specialising in skilled and moving Recorded at St Paul’s, Deptford, London, from 16 - 18 February 2011. interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque and modern music and as an opera company giving Producer - Raphaël Mouterde Recording Engineer - Tony Faulkner ground-breaking performances. Cover Image - Shutterstock Design and Artwork - Woven Design Along the way, Christopher has established an www.wovendesign.co.uk education programme now reaching out to tens of thousands of young children across the country, P 2012 The copyright in this recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd. © 2012 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd. and is closely involved in the establishment of Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of AC Academy, Armonico Consort’s series of choirs copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from which sees over 700 children singing each week 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 across the UK. from Signum Records Ltd.
SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. Christopher has performed world premieres with Christopher was organ scholar at Gonville +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] internationally renowned musicians such as and Caius College, Cambridge, and studied www.signumrecords.com Evelyn Glennie and the fine arts brass ensemble conducting with David Hill whilst an organ scholar at and regularly performs with some of the country’s Winchester Cathedral. finest musicians. He has conducted a range of high-profile orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philharmonia and the European Union Chamber Orchestra.
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