The Songs of RalphVaughanffilliams Poems (settings of words by Fredegond Shove, the rhe steady tread ofosciLlating fifths in the left Rubbra's early vocal writing was characterised by an and Edmmd Rubbra composer's niece) were premiered at a conccrt in hand seems to depict a clock, sLowly ticking as 'the effortless rhythmic freedom, The Mysrery (1922) London's Acolian HalL in March 1925. minutes passed' a poignant gesture from a composer alternates imperceptibly between duple and triple The importance offolksong collecting and ananging then in the tu,ilight of his life. time. ln Orpheus with his lute ( 1923 ) the same easy to the development of the distinctive musical ln these , Vaughan Williams experimented with flexibility is reminiscent of Elizabethan lute song, (1872-1958) language of Raiph Vaughan Williams diflcrcnr wa1. si.qt t ing.pce. lr rnllexion. r o mr rric. Vaughan Williams often played works-in-progress an association strengthened by the aryeggiated piancr has long been recognised. The composition of Several features of his mature style were already to colleagues whose critical judgement he valued: chords. The combination ofa fluid vocal line ancl original art songs formed a much smaller part ofhis apparent: in 'The new ghost', modal initially to ; and after Holst's death (in a static, often modal, is aLso found career, but one tvhich was not without significance: (curbined with gentle arabesques) creates a sense 1934) to a group of younger composen, including in two settings ofScottish texts, bothconcerned with indeed it was the 1904 cycle Songs o/ Trauei which of other-worldliness, as the recently-departed spirit Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986). The two men, from thc unnoticed passing of 'Christ in the stranger's first brought him to the attention ofcritics and thc ascends heavenwards. Vaughan Williams also made rvidcLy differing backgrornds - Vaughan Williams guisc': Rune ofHospiarlirr (1925) andA Dwof Bma public. His songs were composed during three increasing use ofostinato . At the was born into the Cotswold gentry; Ruhbra was the (1928). ln the latter (literally, 'a little song'from distinct periods, alL ofwhich are represented on this opening of'Four nights', this enhances the sense of son of a Northampton cobbler had met through the Hebridean Island ofBarra), the interplay between recording. tranquillity. Elsewhere, rnovement is invokecl: the r line .,f r Holst. one of Rubbra's teachers. hc 'rnger and rhe rop h. n.(,'mlanim(Il gentle l4pping ofwirves in'Motion ancl stillness'; an anticipates Rubbra's later style. 'Silent Noon'dates from 1902, and laterformed part incessantly.turning wheel in his Schuherr-like Rubbra's earliest published song, Rosa Mundi ofthe cycle, The House ofLife. In the choice ofpoet setting of 'The water mill'. But although they (1921), dates from his student days at the Royal From 19J2 onwards, his music bccomes far rnore (D.G. Rossetti), subject matter, and musical language contributed to his stylistic developmeirt, Vaughan College of Music. It greatly impressed Holst, and lrnear. duminat.J l 1 rh1 rhm and. o'rnrcrpoinr in,' (reminiscent of Schumann), it typifies the \{/illiams's'middle-period' songs found little favour Rubbra himself later described it as'the point of neo. la.'i, al mannrr. V 'icc an.l pianr enrer tnr, ' r nineteenth-century Romantic Lied. Above a gently with the contemporary pubLic. Once again, he departure for my future devekrpnent'. Like most of more equal partnership, as heard in Three Psalms pulsing accompaniment, the singer rnellifluously foreook song-writing, this time fur more than a quafter his early songs, it is a spiritual meditation. An ( 1946; dedicated to ). The opening serenades his lover, as they enjoy a'close- ofa century. arching nekrdy, inspired by pLainsong, is supported jrl.bar prelude is repeated throughout 'Psalm VI', companion'd'hour together. Only at the end, with by two gently rocking violins. coloured by subtle changes ofharmony ordynamics. a change from present to past tense, does it become The probable catalyst for his final foruy into the The ostinato overlaps with, md enhances, the singer's .le,rr rhrr rhe poer r. ur"rfully relirrng f, moment genre was his marriage, in Febmary 1953, to poet Unrrstrally, Ruhbra shuns the piano in scveral ofhis anguished petitions. Chromaticisms and jagged from the past. At the point ofrealisation, the singer Ursula Vood. Vaughan liliLliams soon began work early song accompaniments. This is all the more rhythms contribute to a dark musical language, and is left a E mirroring way suspended on high flat the on two cycles ofherpoems. Unfinished at his tlcath, strrprising since hc was a highly accomplished pianist, result in an unusual - yet effective - setting of'Psalm in which rhe scene is indelibly fixed in the poet's they were grouped together posthurn(\rsly irs FoLr carning his living as a pianist and critic rLntil his XXlll'. Although it opens with a brief moment o{ ( nemory. Lmt Songs. The earliest is 'Menelaus' I 95{), wlrosc aff()intrrrcnt irs zr lccturcr at Oxford University, in tendernes, the movcment seems more concemed with text and music were written in a singlc tliry rficr Ilirlph 1947. I krwcver, from his youth Rubbra had been the perils from which the shepherd is protecting his After the song cycles Songs o/Traue land OnWenlocl< and Ursula had read T.E. Lawrcncc's trirnslilti(n of firscinatctl by the 'new sound-world' of the string Ilock. The assurance of a place 'in the house of the Edge (1908), VarLghan Williams tumed his attention The Odyssey. In'Hands, eyes, iucl hcirrt'lnLI 'Tired', quartcr: thc qLlieter attilck and sustained tone of Lord for ever'heralds a new-found confidence. rWilliams to orchestral composition. ln the mid 1920s, having Vaughan recalls thc rnorc lyricirl style of strings (and often harp) were perhaps more suitable before the energetic setting of'Psalm CL- provides a completed three syrphonies and The lzrk Ascending his early songs, in stark contrirst to thc rmrtlcrnism of firr crnvcying ir scnsc of inncr peace. resolrrfe conchrsion. he returned to song. Three cycles including Four 'Procris', the last of the set to he writtcn. ln'Tired', -1 -z- ln his 1955 setting of Two Sonnets by William Les Chmrts de Ralph Vu.qhan Williams Shove, la niEce du compositeur), eut lieu au cours commenga bient6t d travailler sur deux cycles de Alabaster (one of the lesser-known metaphysical d\rn concert donn6 arr Aeolian Hall de I-ondres en podmes 6crits par sa femme. Laiss6s inachev6s d sa et d'EdnumdRubbra poets, and sometime chaplain to James I), Rubbra mars 1925. mort, ils furent regroup6s d titre posthume sous le uses the intelplay between voice and obbligato titre Fo[r lat Songs. Le plus ancien est o Menelaus n (1954), to heighten the intemity. In the haunting meditation, IJimportance de recueillir et d'arranger des chants Dans ceux-ci, Vaughan Williams s'essaya aux dont le texte et la musique fi:rent 6cris aprEs parl6es par Ralph et Ursula de la traduction de 'Upon the crucifixr, he exploits the full range ofthe folkloriques pour le d6veloppement de la langue diff6rentes fagons de mettre des inflexions la lecture arriv6 T.E. Lawence de L Odlssde. Dans Hands, Eyes and vrolr's ronal palerte ro grear effect. musicale propre i Vaughan Williams n'est plus i en musique. Plusieurs traits de son style i " prouver. La composition de chants artistiques maturit6 y figurent d6ji : dans " The New Ghost ", Heart , et " Tired ", Vaughan Williams rappelle le originaux repr6sente une importance moindre dans l'harmonie modale (conjugu6e d de douces style plus lyrique de ses premiers chants, tout i The two songs of AueMmia, gratiaplena (published sa carridre, sans pour autant Ctre insignifiante r C'est arabesques) cree un sentiment de d6tachement du l'opposd du modernisme de Procris qui fut le in 1953) encapsulate many of the differences " " en effet grdce au cycle de 1904 des Songs o/ l)auei mondg lorsque l'esprit du tout nouveau d6funt monte dernier i 6tre 6crit. Dans " Tired ", la cadence between Rubbra's youthful and mature styles. O m1 qu'il attira l'attention des critiques et du public. I1 au Ciel. Vaughan Williams eut 6galement recou6, et r6gulidre des quintes balanc6es par la main gauche deir Hert was composed in 1922, its original piano composa ses chants pendant trois perlocles ce de plut en plus, aux arcompJgnemenh o5linaro. du pianiste semble marquer le lent tic.tac d'une accompaniment being rescored for string quaftet in o geste differenre.. toute\ prd\cnt(: \ur cel enregi.rremenr. Pour l'ouverture dq " Four Nights ", le sentiment de horloge i mesure que passent les minutes " ; 1952. The flowing melody and simple, almost qui6tude en ressort grandi. Ailleurs, on invoque le poignant du compositeur alors au cr6puscule de sa hypnotic accompaniment (particularly the pulsing n Silent Noon " date de 1902 et fit par la suite partie mouvement : le doux clapotis des vagues dans vie. cello pedal) contrast with the more intricate, du cycle The House o;f Life. De par le choix du podte . Motion and Stillness "; contrapuntal texture of O excellent Vftgin Princess (D.G. Rossetti), du sujet et de la langue musicale (une (1952\. r6miniscence de Schumann), o Silent Noon " dans son arrangement i la est caract6ristique du Lied romantique du dix- Schubert de n The Water neuviame accompagnement Rubbra's first large-scale work for solo piano, the sidcle. Sur un Mill ". Mais bien qu'ils l6gErement rythm6, le chanteur donne une Ei@rt Preltilrs, wx premiered by the composer himself contribuent au d6veloppe- mdlodieuse s6r6nade i sa bien-aim6e, tmdis que tous ment de son style, les chants at the 1 966 Cheltenham Festival. Its asningent style deux savourent une heure entre < compagnons de odemi-p6riode" de is reminiscent of the piano witing in the Tfuee Psalnr. intimes Ce n'est qu'i la fin, par un passage du Vaughan Williams ne Rubbra described how all eight 'spring from the ". pr6sent au pass6, qu'il devient clair que le podte revit trouvdrent qu'un accueil melodic idea with which No. 1 begins' (the rising avec nostalgie un moment du pass6. Au moment oi mitig6 de la pat du public de prelude four-note sca[e). However, each is self- l'on en prend conscience, la voix du chanteur se son temps. Une fois encore, il contained, with its own distinctive character-ftom voit suspendue sur un mi b6mol aigii, qui retldte la d6laissa l'6criture de chants the gentle my"r icism o[No. 2 r o r he.avage rnrensiry marque ind6l6bile laiss6e par cette scdne dans la pour cette fois-ci plus d'un of No. 8. Such variety ensures that the complete set m6moire du poate. quart de sidcle. explores the fulL gamut ofboth the instrument's tone colour. rnd the perlormer's technrque. Aprds le cycle intitul6 Songs of Travel et On Wenlock Ce qui a probablement Edge (1908), Vaughan \?illiams se tourna vers la provoqu6 $a dernidre pour Kei Dexter composition orchestre. Au milieu des ann6es incursk)n dans ce genre fut 1920, ayant achev6 trois symphonies er The Latk son mariage, en f6vrier 1953, Ascending, il retouma au chant. La premidre de trois avec la poEtesse Ursula cycles, dont Four Poems (Paroles de Fredegond Wood. Vaughan \Yilliams Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986) Vaughan jouait ( Dans son arrangcment 1955 de TUo Sonnets lTilliams souvent ses compositiolls M1srery 1922) alteme imperceptiblemenr entre les de de Die Lie der u on Ralph Vauglurn WiLLim:s en cours de r6alisation i des collEgues dont le mesures iL deux et trois ternps. Dans Orpherc His William Alabaster (Un poEte m6taphysique With mdEdmund Rubbra jugement critiquc lui 6tait cher: tour d'abord i Lute (1923), Ia meme flexibilit6 facile rappelle les m6connu, pour un temps aum6nier de James l), Gustav Holst, puis, aprds la mort de celui-ci en 1914, chants accompagn6s au luth de la p6riode Rubbra utilise l'interaction entre la voix et l'alto Dic Bedeutung des Sammelns und Arrangierens von i un groupe de compositeurs plus jeunes dont 6lisabethaine, association renforc6e par les arpdges obbligato pour cn augmenter f intensit€. Dans la Volksliedern frir die Entrvicklung der Eclmuncl Rubbra faisait partie. Les deux honmes, du piano. On retrouve 6galement la combinaison m6clitation obs6dante de " l)pq. the Crucifix o, il unverwechselbaren musikalischen Sprache Ralph issus de milieux tris diff6rents (l-a petite noblesse d'une ligne vocale fluide et de 1'accompagnement sair tirer avantagc cle toute la palette de tonalit6s de Vaughan Williams'ist l6ngst erkannt worden. Zwar de Cotswold pour Vaughan Williams, alors que statique, souvent modal, dans deux mises en I'alto. nahm das Komponieren eigener Kunstlieder dcn Rubbra 6tait le frls d'un cordonnier de musique de textes 6cossais tous deux ax6s sllr le weitaus kleineren, doch einen nicht unbedeutenden Northampton), grAce passage Les deux chants de Aue Mmia, Grala PIero (publi6s TEil seiner Karricre ein. Bereits sernem Zyklus s'6taient rencontr6s i Holst, subtile de " J6sus d6guis6 en dtranger, : Rane mit l'un des professeurs de Rubbra. of Haspitdliq (1925) etADwof Bara (1926). Dans en 1953) incarnent plusieurs des diff6rences entre Songs o/ Trauel von 1904 zog er die Aufmerksamkeit jeune le dernier, dont le titre signifie litt6ralernent " une le style du Rubbra et celui de l'homme miir. O der Kritiker uncl des Publikums auf sich. Er Le prernier chant de Rubbra i €tre publi6, RosaMmdi petite chanson, cle l'lle Barra dans les H6brides, My Deir Hert fut compos6 en 1922, komponierte seine Lieder wihrend dreier (1921), remonte i sa vie d'6tudiant au Royal College I'interaction entre le chanteur et l'accompagnement 1'accompagnement original au piano ayant 6t6 verschiedener Phasen, von denen jede auf dicser of Music. Holst en fut tras impressionn6, et Rubbra en haut de port6e anticipe le style que Rubbra 16adapt6 pour un quartet d cordes en 1952. La Aufnahme vertreten ist. 1ui-m6me le d6crivit plus tard comme " Le poht de adoptera par la suite. m6lodie fluide et 1e simple, er presque envoiranr, d6part de son 6panouissement i venir ". Comme la accompagnement (en particulier celui de la vibrante ,,Silent Noon" datiert von 1902 und bildete spater plupart de ses premiers chants, il s'agit d'une A partir de 1932, sa rnusique devint beaucoup plus basse continue du viokrncelle) conffastent avec la einen Teil des Zyklus The Home of Lrle. In der \7ahl m6ditation spirituelle. Une m6lodie en voiire, lineaire, dominde par le rythme et le contrepoinr i 1a structure plus 6labor6e et en contrepoint de O des Dichters (D.G. Rossetti), des Themas und der inspir6e d'un plain.chant, que supportent les douces manidre n6oclassique. Le rapport entre la voix et le Excellent Princess (19 52). musikalischen Sprache (die an Schunann erinnert), oscillations de deux violons. piano s'6qui1ibra, comme dans Tlree Psdhts (1946) verkdrpert es das romantische Lied des 19. qu'il d6dia i Kathleen Ferrier. La mesure d 3ll du Le premier solo pour piano important de Rubbra, Jahrhunderts. Uber einer san(t pulsierenden Eight Ptelurles, fut jou6 pour premiire Chose inhabituelle, Rubbra 6vite le piano dans pr6lude d'ouverture se r6pEte tout au long de " Psalm la fois par le Begleitung singt der Sdnger seiner Geliebten ein plusieurs des accompagnements de ses premiers Vl ", color6 par les changements subtiles d' compositeur lui-m6me au Cheltenham Festival en klangvolles Liebeslied, waihrend sie eine Stunde,,in chants, ce qui est d'autant plus surprenant qu'il 6tait et de dynamiques. Lostinato chevauche et r6hausse la6o. t,'n .1v1. .erere rappelle l, .ompu.iron porrr trauter Zweisamkeit" miteinander verbringen. Erst lrn praniite aLcompli. scgnanr .d \ie cornrne piani5re les suppliques angoiss6es du chanteur. Chromatismes piano de Three Psalms. D'aprds Rubbra, les huit am Ende wird durch den Wechsel vom Prdsens in die et critique avant de se voir attribuer une chaire de et rythmes irrdguliers contribuent i une langue pr6ludes . d6coulent de f id6e m6lancolique par Vergangenheitsforn deutlich, dass es sich hier um professeur i l'Universit6 d'Oxford en 1947. musicale sombre et conduisent laqucllc commence le N" 1" (lir gamne de notes eine vom Dichter i un amangement peu /. wehmtitig noch einmal durchlcbte Cependant, Rubbra avait 6t6 fascin6, depuis sa ordinaire, mais n6anmoins efficace, de " Psalm ascenclantes). Cependant, chaque p16lude cst Episode aus der Vergangenhcit handelt. Als ihn die jeunesse, pat " le nouveau monde-son) des quartets XXIII ,. Bien qriil s'ouvre sur un bref moment de intl6pcndant ct possdde un caracrEre propre, allant plotzliche Erkenntnis trifft, verhalt der S:inger auf i cordes r l'attaque plus douce et la tonalit6 contenue tendresse, ce mouvement semble s'int6resser du doux mysticismc du N! 2 n l'intensit6 sauvage du einem hohen EL - auf diese Weise die (et des cordes souvent de la harpe) convenaient davantage aux p6ri1s contre lesquels le berger protdge I Ne 8. C'cst ccttc vari6t6 clui garantit clue toute la Unausliischlichkeit darstellend, mit der die Szene probablement mieux au sentiment de paix int6rieure son troupeau. La certitude d'une place * dans la gamme de tonirlit6s dc f instrument et la techniquc in der Erinnerung des Dichters haften geblieben ist. qu'il voulait communiquer. demeure du Seigneur pour l'6ternit6 , annonce de I'intcrprite sont explor6s. 1'6mergence d'une confiance toute nouvelle, avant Nach den Liederzyklen Songs o/ Trauel und On Keri Dexter (1908) Les premidres euvres chant€es de Rubbra se que l'anangement plein d'6nergie de n Psalm CL ' WenLock Edge wandte Vaughan Williams caract6risaient par unc libert6 rythmique ais6e: Tfu nr lui lourni:"e une terme Lonclurion. ( u atluction Fkr ence G r mmond) seine Aufmerksamkeit der Orchesterkomposition -5 -6 zu. Mitte der zwanzigerJahre, nachdem erdrei Sinfonien starkem Kontrast zum Modernismus von ,,Procris", dem Rubbrm fithe Vokalkompositionen zeichneten sich durch In seiner von 1955 stammenden Vertonug der Tuo Sonres \Milliam (eincs rndThelak ,*cadingvollendet hatte, kehrte er zum Lied zuletzt geschriebenen Lied der Reihe, stehen. In ,,Tired" eine unangestrengt rhythmische Freiheitaus: The M1sery von Alabaster der weniger bekannten ( Dichter, der fiir eine Weile KaplanJames' zurtick. Drei Zyklen - darunter Foer Poemj rheint dm stete Vormclueiten schwingender Frin{tehoten 1 922 ) wech*lt unmerklich mirchen dem Zweier- und dern metaphysischen (Textunterlegung von Fredegond Shove, der Nichte des in der linken Handdes Klaviers eine Uhrdasustellen, die Dreiertakt. ln Orpheu eith his lute (1923) erinnert die I war) benutzt Rubbra dasWechselspiel zwischen Stimme Komponisten) wurden im Miirz 1925 anlesslich eines langsam tickt, wiihrend,die Minuten vergingen" die gleiche ungezmnge Flexibilitritan dm Lautenlied aus der und Viola obligato, um eine gro0ere lntemitdt zu ereugen. Konzerts in der Londoner Aeolian Hall uraufgefiihrt. schmerzliche Geste eines Komponisten, dersich zu dieser Zeit Elisabeths I., ein Eindruck, der durch die aryeggiert ln der eindnnglichen Meditation ,,Upon the mcifii' shdp{t Zeit bereits im Herbst seines Lebens befand. gespielten Klavierstriinge noch verstiirkt wird. Die er die gesamte Klmgpalette der Viola auBerst wirkungsvoll In diesen Zvklen experimentierte Vaughan \Tilliams mit Kombination einer flieBenden Cesangslinie mit einer aus. verschiedenen !7egen, Verdnderungen des sprachlichen Vaughan lTilliam spielte die Werke, an denen er arbeitete, statischen, oft modalen Begleitung findet sich auch in zwei (L953 Tonfalls in Musikumzusetzen. Hier wurdenbereis einige oft einem Kollegen vor, dessen kritisches Uneil er schiitzte: Vertonungen von schottischen Texten, in denen es jeweils In den beiden Liedern des Aoe Maria, gratial>lem Unterschiede Zi)ge seines reifen Stils erkennbar: So wird in ,,The new Anfangs war dies Gustav Holst, md nach Holsm Tod ( 1934 ) um das unbemerkte Voriibergehen von ,,Christ in the veroffenrlichr) treten viele stilistische jmgen ghost" mittels modaler Hamonien (kombiniert mit smften war es eine Gruppe jmger Komponisten, zu denen Edmund stranger's guise" geht: Rtne o/ Hospialitf ( 1925) und A zwischen dem und dem reifen Rubbn deutlich hervor. (wortlich doch die Arabesken) eine Atmosphiire derJenseitigkeit geschaffen, Rubl,ra gehone. Die b"idcn Mcnnet. deren H"rLunlr Dw of Bma (1918) , Letzteres ,,e in kleines Lied" O m1 d,eir Her, wurde 1922 komponiert, wenn der krizlich versorbene Geist zum Himrnel auffahn. unterschiedlicher kaum sein konnte Vaughan \0i11ians von der Hebridenjmel Bana) nimmt in seinem Wectrelspie I urspdingliche Klavierbegleitung wurde 1952 ftir das AuBerden verwendete Vaughan \7i11iams vermehrt enstammte dem Lmdadel der Corswolds, wrhrend Rubbra zwischen dem Sdnger und der Oberlinie der Begleitung Sreichquartett uminstrumentiert. Die fl ieBende Melodie Ostinatobegleitungen. Zu Beginn von,,Four Nighs" wird der Sohn eines Northamptoner Schusters war hatten sich bereits Rubbras spiiteren Stil vorweg. und die schlichte, eine beinahe hypnotische Kraft (besonders pulsierende aufdiese !0eise das Geflihl des Friedem erhoht. An mderer durch Holst kemengelemt, der einer der fehrer Rubbm wm. ausstrahlende Bcgleitung der Stelle wird Bewegung evoziert: das sanfte Pletschern der Von 1932 an wird seine Musikweitaus linearerund ist auf Pedalton des Cellos) kontrmtieren mit der komplizierteren (1952). lfellen in,,Motionandstillness"odereinsichunabl?issig Rosa Mandi ( 1921 ), das erste von Rubbra verdffentlichte neoklassische Weise von Rlythmus und Kontrapunkt konmpunktischenStrukturvonOExcelentPnrce$ drehendes Rad in der an Schubert erinnernden Veronung Lied, stammt aus seinen Studententagen am Royal College dominiert. Stimme und Klavier greiGn gleichberechtigter ( Rubbras erstes groB angelegtes Solowerk ftir Klavier, Erghr von ,,The water mill". Doch obwohl sie zu seiner stilistischen of Music. Es machte groBen Eindruck auf Holst, und Rubbn ineilmde r, wie mm in Three Ps:alns 1946; Kathleen Ferier Enmicklung beitrugen, fanden Vaughan \Tilliams' Lieder selbst bezeichnete es als ,den Ausgangspunkt meiner gewidmet) horen kmn. ,,Psalm Vl" beginnt mit einem 3% Prehles, wurde 1966 au{dem Cheltenham Festival vom der,,mittleren Periode" wenig Anklang beim spdteren Entwicklung". Wie die meisten seiner liiihen Lieder Thkte langen Prdludiun, das sich den ganren Sae hindurch Komponisten selbst uraufge{iihrt. Det adstringierende Stil zeitgendssischen Publikum. Noch einmal wandte er sich ist es eine spirituelle Meditation. Eine bogenftlrrnige wiederholt, ausgeschmiickt durch dczente lTechsel in erinnert an die Klavierhompositionen von Three Psalru. vom Liederschreiben ab. diesmal frir mehr als ein Melodie, inspiriert vom Gregorianischen Gesang, wird Harnonie und Dynamik. Das Ostinato verleiht den Rubbra erleuterte, wie alle acht Priiludicn ,der gleichen (der Viertelj ahrhundert. untermalt von zwei sich sanft wiegenden Violinen. angstvollen Bitten des Siingers besonderen Nachdruck, melodischen [dee entspringen, mitclerNr. 1 beginnt" jedes indem es sich mit ihnen iiberschneidet. In,,PsalmXXltl" aufsteigenden Tonleitct aus vier Tonen). Doch ist Den AnstoB fiir seinen letzten Ausflug in das Genre gab Eigenartigerweise meidet Rubbra dm Klavier in einigen tr:rgen Chromatiken und cckige Rhythmen zur dunklcn Priludium in -ich ge*chlos.en und hc.rtzr crnrn eigenen, wohl seine Heimt mit der Dichterin Ursula !7ood im Febffi seiner frtihen Liederbegleitungen. Dies ist um so Fiirbung clcr musikalischen Sprache bei; das Ergebnis ist unveruechselbarenChankter vom sanften Mystizismus Nr.2 bis zurwilden IntensitritvonNr.S. Mittelsdieser 1 953 . Vaughan Williams begann bald datauf die Arbeit an verwunderlicher, als er selbst ein ausgezeichneter Pianist cirlc u,rgcwi)hnlichc, altr wirkungsvolle Vertonung des von ganzc des mei Zyklen zu ihren Gedichten. Bei seinem Tod unvollendet qar und br. -u .erner Ansrcllung rl" Do en, an d", hckannt cn l)salrns. Obwohl mit cincm kurzcn Moment der Vielfak wird nicht nur der Stinmumfang sondern auch dem lnterpreten geblieben, wurden sie postum unter dem Titel Forr lnr Univenitet Oxford im lahre 1947 seinen Lebensunterhalt Ziin I irl r l(eil ci nsct zclcl, schcinr dcr Satz sich mehr mit den Instrumentes ausgeschopft, Songs zusammengestellt. Das frriheste unter ihnen ist als Pianist und Musikkritiker verdiente. Doch seit seiner ( )cIrlrrcrr zri lrc.[]rsscn, v,r .lcncn dcr Llirtc seine Herde Gelegenheit gcgeben, sein technische Kcinnen voll zur ,Menelam" (1964),dwnTextundMuikmeinemeiruigen Jugend war Rubbra von der ,,neuartigen Klangwelt" des ) beschilr zr. I Jrrl sL:lrl icl]lich ktindct cl;c Zusichcrung eines Geltungzu bringen. Tag geschrieben wurden, nachdem Ralph und Ursula T.E. Streichquartetts fasziniert gewesen: Der leisere Einsatz l'latzcs ,,irr rh' hrrsc oI t hc Lrtrl [rrr cvcr" von einer neLl Lawences Ub.r"etrrng der Odlssee gelesen hatten. ln und der anhaltende Klang der Saiten (oft der Har{e) waren gcfundcncn Zrrvcrsicht, hcvrr dic cncrgischc Vcrtonung Keri Dexter (Uberetzt ,,Hands, eyes, and heart" greift Vaughan lfilliams auf den vielleicht geeigneter, um ein Gefuhl des inneren Friedens von ,,Psahn C)L" cincn rcsolutcn Schlusspunkt sctzt. uon Cornelia Schnelle) lyrischeren Stil seiner ftiihen Lieder zuriick, wodurch sie in zrr vermitteln. Fov(LASt E0IGS MrNEraus And clyme along uppon his sacred brest, I still can hear the scythes that smite R^ll VAr cHo\ !(/ , AM: You will comc home, not to the homc you knew And make a garland for his wounded browes: The ripened flowers in their prime, your POEMS BY URSULA VALJGIhN WILLIAMS that thought remembers, going frorn rose to rose Lord soe I am, if heare my thoughts may rest. And still can see the meadows white. alnrrg thc rcrr'.c. and rarirq ru fczL In summer-time my rest is small, Pnocrts ON ro REED oF om LoRD's PAssroN at rhe vines and reeds and iris beside the lake If any rest I find at all. Procris is lying ar the wate$icle, Long tyme hath Christ (long tyme I must confesse) ln the morning haze. .pnnr. tl,e velluu flowcrr "h"" ,he Er.\. r\ green. Held me a hollowe Reede within his hande, ln autumn, when my eyes I close before a gentle rvind the thin trees lean Forgetting the place you arc in where thc cold seawlnds go That merited ln Hell to make a hrande I see the yellow stars ablaze toward the rushes, the rushes to the tide. crying liLe gulls on the beach where the horncd sea Had not his grace supplied mine emptines. Am"rrg rlre targled r,,.. poppies grow. "rnd.,lr"r She will not see O{t time with languor anc{ newlangleness At sunset in a circled maze; the green spring turn to sumlner, summer go Holesick wanderer, you will come home Had I bene borne awaye like sifted sande, Like amoured knights, they ricle the skies in a long golden dusk towards the snow, to a home more ancient, waiting your return: When Sinn ancl Sathan gott the upper hande, And prick the closed lids of my eyes. with eyes so lit by love thar everything But that his steclfast mercie did mce blesse. sea frets the steps thar lie green under waves Bur when in winter-time I sleep bumed, flowed, greq blossomed, moved on foot or wlng Stil1 let mee growe upon that livingc lande, and swallows nest below lintel and eav.", I nothlng see, nor nothlng hear; with the guessed rhythm of etemity. \x rrhrn rhanvuunde u hicl- rrnn did impre..e. there larnps are klndled Ior you, they will burn The angels in my spirlt keep A11 her hope and will And made a springe ofbloud flowe from thie hand: til1 you come, however late you come, A silent watch and, belng there, florved from her uuavailing Then will I gather sdpp, and rise, and stand till the wcst wind's sheltering wing They cau.e m) .oul ro lre a. dead and she Lnew darkness, as her eyes know now That all that see this wonder maye expresse folds round your saii and brings you to iand. A stream enchanted in her bed. shut to the daylight, and despair prevailing Upon this grounde how well growcs barrennes. Stretch out your hand, she saw no way to go. THE NEw GHosr mumuring, lapping sa md the lamps and the welrcme wait From FaIl of leal (1943) And he cast it down, down, cu thc grccn grass, to draw you home to rest. FOVRPOEmE BY FREdEGoId EH0VE TIRED Over the young crocuses, where the dcw was, You shall come homc and love shal1 fold you in joy From Dreams anl Joamels (1918) Sleep, and I'11 be still as anorher sleeper He cast the garment of his flesh that was full of death, and lay your heart on her breast. Rauu VaucnaN Wrrrravs holding you in my arms, glad that you lie Ancl like a sword his spirit showcd our of the cold sheath. 'Menelaus on the Beach at Pharos' Morros aNp SttLlNnss so near at iast. He went a pace or !wo, he went to mcct his Lord, from Siience E Music (1959) The seashells lie as cold as death This sheltering mid-night is our meeting place, And, as I said, his spirit looked like a cletln sword, Under the seal no passion or despair or hope divide And seeing him the naked trees bcgan shivering, By WiLriArTl The clouds move in a wasted weath me from your side. Two Soqqrts Arnrasfraop. sz And all the birds cried out aloucl as it were latc spring. I shall remember firelight on your sleeplng face, EDMUND RUBBRA Yiola DoutdLcPage Eternally; And the Lord came on, He came down, ancl saw I shall remernber shadows growing deeper The cows sleep on the tranquil slopes UpoN rnr Cnucttx That a soul was wairing there for Him, one without flaw, as the flre fell to ashes and the minutes passed. Above the bay; Now I have found thec I will evermore And they embraced in the churchyard where the robins play, From FaIl of baf (1943) The ships like evanescent hopes Embrace this standard where thou sitts above, Vanish awal'. And the daffoldils hang down their heads, as they burn away. Feede greedie eyes, and from hence never rove HANDs, EES, AND HEART The Lord held his head fast, and you could see Sucke hungrie soule of rhls etemall sruc; FoUR NIGHTS Hands, give him all the measure That He kissed the unsheathed ghost rhat was gone free of my love Issue my hart {rom thie rwo leaved dorc, O when I shur my eyes in spring surer than any word. As a hot sun, on a March day, kisses the coLl ground; And lett my lippes from kissinge not remove. A of heaven's swans I see, Eyes, be deep pools of truth, where see the spirit aruwered, for he knew well that his peace wm found. he rray O thatt I weare transfomed into love, They sail on lakes of blue, or slng Ard a thought more whole than constancy. And as a plant might springe upon this flower, Or sheker ln a willow tree: The spirit trernbled, and sprang up at the Lord's word Heart, in his keeping, be at rest and live Like wand'ring lvy or sweete honie suckle: They sing of peace ln heart and mind As on a wild April day, springs a small blrd as music and silence meet, and both are heard. How would I with my twine about it buckle, Such as on earth you may not find. So dre ghot's feet lilting him up, he kissed rhe Lord's cheek, Part of'Prologue', from No other choice (19{i) And kisse his feete with my ambitious boughes, \ilhen I lie down in summer-time And for the greatness of their love neittrer of them could speak. -9. 10- But the Lord went then, to show hlm the way, The young men come for his daughter's sake, AVE MARiA GRAtiA PTEITA Deep in the sun,search'd growths the dragon,fly Over the young crocuses, under the green may Bur ner er know' whrch one to tale: Hangs like a blue thread loosen'd from the sky,- "hc EDMUND RUBBRA That was not quite in tlower yet to a fal distant land; She drives needle, and piru her stuff, So this is us above. her The Curctacus Qwtet wing'd hour dropt to from And the ghost followed, like a naked cloud holding the sun's \Mhile the moon shines gold, and the lamp shines buff. Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower, hmd. O MY DEIR HERT Oc.5 This close-cornpanion'd inarticulate hour O, my delr hert, young Jesus sweit, Anor lfhen twofold silence was the song o{ love. Tru WADR MLL Prepare thy creddil ln my sprelt, There is a mill, an ancient one, And I sall rock thee ln my hert Brown with rain, and dry with sun, Onpugvs witH HiS or.8, No.2 THE TIYSIERY Op. 4, No. 1 And never mair from thee depart. LutE The miller's house is joined with it EDMUND ATTIIIB, FLLTCHER EDMUND RUBBRA RAI PH HoDcsoN But I sall praise thee evermoir RUBBRA JoIIN And in the swallows flit The Life of KingHerury July He came and took me by the hand Wirh sangis sweet unto thy gloir; VIII, Act lll.i To and fro, in and out, lJp to a red rose tree, The knees of my hert sal1 I boq Orpheus with his lute rnade trees Round the windows, all about; He kept His meaning to Himself And sing that richt Balulaiow And the mountain tops that freeze, The mill wheel whirrs and the waters roar But gave a rose to me. Bow themselves, when he did sing: Out of the dark arch by the door, O axcE[rNr VTRGTN PRrNcEss Op.77 To his music, plants, and flowers I he wittows losb their silver heads, I did not pray Him to lay bare FRANeors ViLLoN Ever sprung; m sun and showers And the phloxes in the garden beds The mystery to me, trans. D.G. Rosseni There had made a lasting spring. TLm gray, Enough the rose was Heaven to smell red, turn O excellent Virgin Princess! thou didst bear With the time of day, And His own face to see. Everything that heatd him play, King Jesus, the most excellent comforter, smell sweet the rain, then die :way. E'en the billows of the sea, And in Who even of this our weakness craved a share. The miller's cat is a tabby, she Hung their heads and then lay by. And for our sake stooped to us from on high, Is as lean m a healthy cat can be, In sweet muslc is such art. Offerrlng to death His young life sweet and fair. She plays in the loft, where the sunbeams srroke Kllllng care and grief of hearr RosA Or. 2 Such as He ls, Our Lord, I Him declare, The sacks' fat backs, md beetles choke muldi Fall asleep, or, hearing, die. Eluurl Runmn RACHEL ANNAND TAyLoR And ln this faith I choose to live anc{ die. ln the floury dust. The wheel goes round 'His Vioiiru Alison Dods, Davi.d Le Page from Mother's Service to Our Lady' And the miller's wife sleeps fast md sound. RVqE oF HosPitALitY Or. 15 There is a clock inside the house, The Rose of the World hangs high on a thorny Tree. EDMUND RUBBRA TRAD. Very tall and very bright, Whoso would gather must hanow his hands and feet. -hms. Grclic b1 Kenneth Macltod It strikes the hour when shadows drowse, But ohl it is sweer. from Or showers make the windows white; I saw a stanger yestreen; The leaves that drop like blood fiom the thorny Tree. EirErt Loud and sweet, in rain and sun, l0ol I put food in the eating place, Redden the roads of the eardr fiom East to West. RALPH VAUGHAN D. G. Rossenr I he .lotk and rhe work i. done. \X/rLr-rAMS Drink in the drinking place, "rrike', They lie on my breast. The Hoase o/Lrfe, Sonnet XIX The miller's wife and his eldest girl Music in the list'ning place; Clean and cook, while the mill wheels whirl. O Rme, O Rose of the World, bow down to me, Your hands lie open in the L)ng fresh gmss, And, in the sacred name of the Tiiune, The children take their meat to school, V{ho can cleave no more, so pierced are my hands and The finger-points look through like rosy blooms: He blessed myself and my house, feet. And at duk they play by the twilit 6001; Your eyes smile peace. The pmture gleams and gloom My cattle and my dear ones. Bare-{oor, bare-head For oh! Thou art sweet. 'Neath billowing skies that scarter and amass. And the lark said in her song, Till the day is dead, A11 round our nest, far as the eye can pass, Ofren, often, often And their mother calls them in to bed. Are golden kingcup fields wirh silver edge Coe. rhe Chrr.r i1 (l'e cr'rnerr's gur.e. The supper stmds on the clean-scrubbed board, !(here the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn,hedge. Often, [often, often] And rhe miller drinL. lrIe a thirotl lordr Ti. vr.ible q rll a. the hnr rgla".. C,,e. rhe rn rhe ctrrnge.l g-i\'. "rlence. Chrir I1 tt Mark Chambers entered the A EvAl oF BARRA or.2o PSAI,M XXIII EuMurl RuesRr MuRDo(r MAd-EAN The I-ord is my shcphcrd: I shall not want. Royal Northcrn College of He maketh mc to lic dorvn in grccn pastures; He leadeth Music in 1988, studying under Tiim rhe cruisiet failing llghr, me besirle the stil1 u,a.ers. Richard Hill, Michael Chance The Son ofCod shall pass to-night, He restoreth my soul; Hc lcadcth rnc in thc paths o{ pos ancl attcnding workshops with Shall at midn(ht dreary, righteousncss for his namc's sakc. Borvrnan. I Ic gracluated The Son o/Mar1, ueary. Yea, rhough I rvalk rhrough thc valley of the shadorv of James Lifr dre sneck and wroden bar death, I will fcar no s.i1: for rhorr art with rre: Thy in 1992 anLl wrs awarded the Ancl leave tbe strangeis door ajar, rod and staff they cornfort me. John Mclc,rcl prize for trrale Lest He my tarry lnw\ Thou preparest a t:rhle before me in the presence of my singcrs. lic now sturlics in Lon- enemies: Thou anointest rny he:rd my cup The Son o/ Marl', Hof . with oil; clon with l)avicl Mascn fircus- runneth over, Sweep the hearth anrl pile the peat ing tn solr orilt()ri() and ()per- Surely goodness and rnercy shall lbllorv me all the cla),s of And set the boarcl with bread and meat, rolcs anrl with a spccial my life, And I will drvell in the hrxrse ofthe Lorcl frrr atic The Son of ()ol, ma1 it tal.t , interest in ( l20th English song. The Son o/ Mary bralre it- I Ic cnjoys pcrfirrnring a wide PSALM CL Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise rnngc of n)(sic iit c{)nccrts and Him in the firmament of his power. rccitals iln(l hls rrn cvcr-gtttw- TunEr 0r.61 Psorms Praisc Him for his mighty acs, Praise Him according to ing list oI rcti,r.lings to his EDMLIND RUBDRA his cxccllcnt grcatncss. ltatnc. PSALM VI Praise Him with thc sound of the trurnper: Praise Him O Lord, rcbukc me not in thine anger, Neither chasten rvith thc psaltcry and harp. mc in thy hot displeasure. Praisc Him with thc tunbrel and dance: Praise Him with David Mason was born in Wigan and st(rdied at the Royal Northern Col- Havc rnercy upon rne, O Lord; for I am weak; O Lord, stringcd instrurnents and organs. lege of Music with Gordon Grccn. Other teachers have included Sir'l7ilham ' hcai me; for my bones are vexecl. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: Praise Him upon the Glock and Charles Roscn. I Ic has since led a career of unusual diversity. high sounding cyrnbals. My soul is also sore vexed: But thou, O Lord, how longl He has played throughout Europe as soloist, accompanist and chanrber Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: Oh save me for thy Lct cv'ry thing that hath brearh praise rhe Lor.l. Praise musician as well as dirccting scvcral rvell-estabLished groups both in c(n- mcrcies'sake. yc thc Lord. cert performances irnd in awrrd-winning recorclings. In parallel to his pcr- For in dcath there is no rernembrance of thee' In the as teach- grave who sha11 gir.e thee thanks? forming career he is estahlishcd rne ofLondon's leading singing I am weary with my groaning; A11 tirc night makc I my EiGHt PRELVdES or.131 ers. He has also rvritten firr thc Ncw Oxford Companion to Music, lltc ltcl to swirn; I water rny couch with tears. Er)MrrNr) RTTBBRA Cambridgc Companion to Singing, tc'levision and music joLrrnals. Mine eye is consumerl with gricf; It waxcth old bccause l. Lento: ma con noto e con molto nrbatcr of all my enemies. Il. Moderato The Caractacus Quartet Depart from me, all ye workcrs of iniquity; For the Lord I1l. Allegretto semplice Christopher George (violin), Alison Dods (violin), h:'r" hq:'rJ [. v"r.. oi m1 uccp.ng. IV Andante moderato e rubatcr l)avid Le Page (viola violin), Matthew Sharp (celkr) The l-ord hath hcard my supplication; The Lord will \. A'rfnrr".1rc' ..hcr:,n.1" u. ppri..io.o / receivc my praycr. Vl. Grar.e e profundo I-et all mine encrnics bc asharncd and sore vexed: Let Vll. Allegretto grazioso them return and be ashamed suddenlv. Vllt. Lento. e con fora

t3 I4 FovRlas'fr EoIlGS ...... vaughanwittiams 1 Procris (2'37) 2 fircd e'22) 3 Hands, Eyes, and Heart (1'31) 4 Menelaus 1+'+s'1 Iwo Eoqqrts By WiniAm ArArAStR...... Rubbra

5 Upon the Crucifix 1a'oa1

6 OntheReedofourLord'sPassion 1a'oo"y 7 Prcludel- p+a1 Rubb,a 8 Prelude 2 tz'+st Rubbrc FOURPOTmS BY FREdEGOTId EsOvr .. vaughanwittiams 9 Motion and Stillness 1r,+t1 lO FourNights (33e,) 11 TheNewGhost (a'so'l

12 The Water Mill 1a z:1 Mrelude3 (0521 ,...... Rubbru 14 Prelude 4 e'2i") ...... ,,,,,,,,,,,,,....,...... Rubbra Mark Chambers 15 The Mystery (o'53) 16 Rosa Mundi \2'27") ,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,...... ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.. Rubbra

AvE IIAR]A GRAtiA PrEIA.. ... Rubbrc 17 O my deir Hert 1r'+s1 24 A Duan of Barrc e'a6').... Rubbra 18 OexcellentVirgin Princess (1,5s) 25 Prelude 7 o'4o')...... , Rabbrc 19 Prelude5 (2 04) ...... ,...,.,,.,,,,,,...... ,,.,, RUhbrc 25 Prelude8 6'at1 ,-.,.....,,,,, Rubbra 20 Preludeo (4',12") ...... ,...,.,.,,...... ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, RUbbru TuRrr Psnrms...... Rubbru ZL Silent Noon t4 3s) ,,...... ,...,...... ,,,,,,, VaughanWiltiams 27 O Lord, rebuke me not (4'47") 2. Orpheus with his lute (1'a2) ,....,...... ,., Rubbru 28 TheLord ismyshepherd (2'58) B Rune of Hospitality (1,a3,) Rubbra 29 Praise ye the Lord (1'26)

RecordingProducer MichaelSurcombe Recording Engineer Potrick Noylor Booklet Notes Keri Dexter Cover imcge Sweel peos ol Vo/iey Cotloge, 1992, by Benedict Rubbro

Recorded in Leighton Pork School, Reoding, Moy 1 999. O@2001 Deux-Elles Limited, Reoding, UK. www.d e ux-elles.com