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The

RALPH VAUGHAN Ralph Vaughan Williams ALBION RECORDS

WILLIAMS SOCIETY Bull ©Peter Photograph Dedicated to widening the knowledge, understanding and THE SONG LOVE appreciation of Ralph Vaughan Williams

President SIR ANDREW DAVIS CBE Vice Presidents STEPHEN CONNOCK MBE, DR JOYCE KENNEDY Chairman SIMON COOMBS

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Mark Hammett (Membership Secretary) 27 Landsdowne Way, Bexhill-on-Sea, A GH N East Sussex, TN40 2UJ U W A I V Email: [email protected] L L H

I A

www.rvwsociety.com P

M Kitty Whately mezzo-soprano L

A

Registered Charity no: 1156614 S R Roderick Williams baritone S O C I E T Y William Vann piano

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THE SONG LOVE

Ralph Vaughan Williams 1872-1958

The House of Life (1903-1904) 1 Love-Sight 4’42 2 Silent Noon 3’38 3 Love’s Minstrels 4’44 4 Heart’s Haven 3’23 5 Death in Love 4’19 6 Love’s Last Gift 4’01 Three Old German Songs (1902) 7 Entlaubet ist der Walde 2’31 8 Wanderlied 2’39 9 Der Morgenstern 1’30 Peter Clulow, Roderick Williams, Deborah Spanton,Andrew Walton, Kitty Whately, William Vann, John Francis 10 To Daffodils (Gunby Hall setting, c. 1903) 3’39 French songs (1903-1904) 11 Quant li Louseignolz (Quand le Rossignol) 1’47 12 L’amour de Moy 3’23 13 Jean Renaud 2’54 14 Le Psaume des batailles (Que Dieu Se Montre Seulement) 3’43 This recording is dedicated to the memory of 15 Buonaparty (1908) 1’39 Laura Coombs (1944-2018), a trustee of The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society and wife of its chairman, Simon Coombs.

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About Albion Records Directors: John Francis FCA (Chairman), Mark Hammett Fulfilment: Mark and Sue Hammett Web-Master: Tad Kasa Since its formation in 1994, The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society – a registered charity with around 1,000 members worldwide – has sought to raise the profile of the composer through 16 The Willow Song (1897) 4’12 publications, seminars and sponsorship of recordings. The Society’s recording label,Albion Records, was formed in 2007 and is devoted to Three Songs from Shakespeare (1925) recordings of works by Vaughan Williams. Each recording contains at least one world première 17 Take, O Take, Those Lips Away 0’53 recording. Two recordings (The Solent and Discoveries) were nominated for a Grammy award, 18 When Icicles Hang by the Wall 1’18 and many recordings have spent some weeks in the UK’s specialist classical chart. 19 Orpheus with his Lute 1’24 20 The Spanish Ladies (1912) 2’40

21 The Turtle Dove (1919-1934) 2’59 Two Poems by Seumas O’Sullivan (1925) 22 Twilight People 2’39 23 A Piper 0’44 Duets (1903) ALBCD002 ALBCD029 ALBCD038 24 Think of Me 1’51 Kissing her hair Purer than Pearl Time and Space 25 Adieu 1’40 Vaughan Williams Vaughan Williams Holst and Vaughan songs songs and duets Williams songs 68’52 Sarah Fox, Andrew Staples, Mary Bevan, Jennifer Mary Bevan, Roderick Roderick Williams and Iain Johnston, Nicky Spence, Williams, Jack Liebeck and Kitty Whately ~ mezzo-soprano (tracks 1-6, 16-19, 24-25) Burnside Johnny Herford,Thomas William Vann Roderick Williams ~ baritone (tracks 7-15, 20-25) Gould, William Vann William Vann ~ piano For further information visit: Tracks 11-14, 16, 20, 21, 24 and 25 are arrangements of older melodies by Vaughan www.rvwsociety.com/albionrecords Williams. The remaining tracks are original compositions by him. Join The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society at Tracks 7-14 and 16-23 are first modern recordings in these arrangements www.rvwsociety.com (Steuart Wilson recorded The Spanish Ladies on a 78 rpm disc).

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Production credits Albion recordings generally include world premières and this collection of songs and duets Musical Director: William Vann by Ralph Vaughan Williams is no exception. It begins with the first complete ‘female’ Executive Producer, booklet notes and photography: John Francis recording of the song cycle The House of Life and continues with sixteen previously Producer: Andrew Walton of K & A Productions unrecorded works. We have grouped them so as to offer a varied and enjoyable recital by Engineer: Deborah Spanton of K & A Productions Kitty Whately and Roderick Williams, accompanied by William Vann. Scores editor: Peter Clulow Musical assistant: Lilly Papaioannou Several of the poems set to music in this album include images that have endured, to some Recorded at Potton Hall, Suffolk, from 27 November to 1 December 2018 extent together, over many centuries – the nightingale, the rose, the lily and the violet. A Cover image: Nightingale of Light by Nancy Moniz, 2012 Persian myth associates the nightingale with the rose and thorn, against which it presses its Graphic design: S L Chai (Colour Blind Design) breast in unrequited love for the flower. The rose is associated with female sexuality, with Proof reading: Martin Murray, Werner Bachman Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail; the lily was linked to the Virgin Mary by the and several others. Venerable Bede as early as the 7th Century. St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1154) linked the three flowers in describing Our Lady as ‘the violet of humility, the lily of chastity and the rose of purity’. The poems include three references to the nightingale. This much mythologised bird belongs to an ancient literary and poetic tradition with two streams, one expressing With special thanks melancholy (particularly in Homer’s ‘Odyssey’, personified as Philomela, a myth frequently Principal Sponsor and Gold Supporters: drawn upon by Shakespeare) and the other joy – and the poems in this recording are The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust, Chris and Adie Batt, Simon Coombs, concerned with joy. Sappho (c.630-c.570 BC) wrote of ‘the messager of spring, the sweet John and Sharon Francis, Julian Ochrymowych, David Trimble. voiced nightingale.’ This positive view was taken up by the troubadours, as we shall see, Silver supporters: and continued to influence poetry up to Milton and the 19th century romantic poets. Keith Anderson, Graham Aslet, Neil Bettridge, Eric Birznieks and Carol Dean, David Bryan, Even Oscar Wilde wrote a story joining the rose and the nightingale. Accordingly, we Rodney Gavin Bullock, Caitlin and John Cassidy, Harold G Corwin,Allan Coughlin, Martin chose a nightingale for a cover image, and as a symbol of the nightingale’s song – surely, Cunningham, Anne Curry, Marcus DeLoach, Leonard Evans, Robert Field, Michael J Gainsford, The Song of Love. Alan Gillmor, Michael Godbee, Ronald Grames, Nigel Green, William Greenwood, Richard Hall, The House of Life (1903-1904) Jay Hicks, Andrew Keener, Tony Kitson, James Korner, Christian Körner, Trevor Lockwood, At this early period of Vaughan Williams’s career, the Pre-Raphaelite poets were a source John and Janet Manning, Barry Menhenett, William Moreing, Martin Murray, Andrew Neill, Charles Paterson, Julian Pearcey, Edward Reisman,Thomas Render, Tony Richardson, Philip Robson, of inspiration, possibly encouraged by his friendship with Grainger and other members of David Sawyer, Kevin Schutts, Brian Sturtridge, Dr Colin C Tinline, John and Muriel Treadway, the Frankfurt Group. Vaughan Williams made two song cycles from Dante Gabriel Steven K White, James C. Williams.

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WILLIAM VANN Gramophone, reviewing Purer than Pearl, Albion Records’ 2016 disc of Vaughan Williams song, reserved ‘a special word of praise for William Vann’s deft pianism’.A multiple-prize Rossetti’s 1881 collection of 100 sonnets, ‘The House of Life’: Willow-Wood, an ambitious winning accompanist and conductor, William performs with a host of major singers and work setting four sonnets for a singer with orchestra, begun in 1900, and The House of Life instrumentalists across the world. with piano accompaniment, setting six sonnets, probably in 1903. The second song, Silent Born in Bedford, he was a Chorister at King’s College, Cambridge and a Music Scholar at Noon, was published separately ahead of the full cycle’s appearance in 1904. Its conclusion Bedford School. He read law and took up a choral scholarship at Gonville and Caius celebrates The Song of Love, from which we drew the title for this recording. College, Cambridge, where he was taught the piano by Peter Uppard, and studied piano Vaughan Williams chose the poems with care, setting numbers 4, 19, 9, 22, 48 and 59 from accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music with Malcolm Martineau and Colin Stone. Rossetti’s collection. Love-Sight has a romantic melody, developed in a postlude on the He has been awarded many prizes for piano accompaniment, including the Wigmore Song piano. The setting for the words ‘death’s imperishable wing’ reminds us that work on A Sea Competition Jean Meikle Prize for a Duo (with Johnny Herford), the Gerald Moore award, Symphony also began as early as 1903. Silent Noon was premièred by Francis Harford (bass) the Royal Overseas League Accompanists’Award, a Geoffrey Parsons Memorial Trust award, and Philip Agnew (piano) on 10 March 1903. On that occasion The Times reported the Concordia-Serena Nevill Prize, the Association of English Singers and Speakers ‘passages of sheer beauty’ – a verdict which stands fast to the present day when this song Accompanist Prize, the Great Elm Awards Accompanist Prize, the remains very popular with singers and audiences. Michael Kennedy describes it as Sir Henry Richardson Scholarship and the Hodgson Fellowship at ‘complete in itself ... one of the first pieces of music by Vaughan Williams which captures a the RAM. moment of eternity and holds it in musical terms for perpetual contemplation.’ Love’s William has collaborated on stage and recording with a vast array of Minstrels was Vaughan Williams’s new title for Rossetti’s ‘Passion and Worship’, thus moving singers, instrumentalists and orchestras. His discography includes the emphasis from stages in love-making to its musical representation. Heart’s Haven has recordings with Albion, Champs Hill, Chandos, Delphian, Navona dramatic music which is suggestive of the operas to come much later. Death in Love has and SOMM. nobilmente passages (lines 4 and 8) and almost orchestral piano writing. Love’s Last Gift begins with a reference to the tune Sine Nomine (For all the Saints) which recurs often in He is a Trustee of The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society, an Associate RVW’s music, all the way to The Pilgrim’s Progress in his final decade. of the RAM, a Samling Artist, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, the Co-Chairman of Kensington and On 2 December 1904 Vaughan Williams arranged a concert of his own works in the Chelsea Music Society, the Artistic Director of Bedford Music Bechstein Hall (now Wigmore Hall), London – which must have been a wonderful Club, a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a conductor occasion. Edith Clegg, contralto, gave the first performance of The House of Life and vocal coach at the Oxenfoord International Summer School. accompanied by Hamilton Harty on the piano. Walter Creighton, baritone, gave the first He is also the Director of Music at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea and performance of the first eight Songs of Travel. Beatrice Spencer and Foxton Ferguson gave the founder and Artistic Director of the London English Song Festival. On 3rd April 2019 the second performance of the two Whitman duets (see ALBCD029 Purer than Pearl), he made his Royal Festival Hall debut conducting Hubert Parry’s long-neglected oratorio with Harriett Solly on the violin. The 1903 setting of Orpheus and his Lute made its first Judith, which he has also recorded for Chandos Records.

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RODERICK WILLIAMS Roderick Williams is one of the most sought after baritones of his generation. He performs appearance and Gustav Holst accompanied some of his own songs on the piano – several a wide repertoire from baroque to contemporary music, in the opera house, on the concert of which appear on ALBCD038 Time and Space. Many newspaper critics were present and platform and is in demand as a recitalist worldwide. He enjoys relationships with all the their reaction to The House of Life was mixed. The Globe’s opinion is representative of those major UK opera houses and has sung opera world premieres by David Sawer, Sally that have stood the test of time: ‘It is proverbially difficult to set a sonnet to music, but Mr. Beamish, Michael van der Aa, Robert Saxton and Alexander Knaifel. Recent and future Vaughan Williams has succeeded where many others have failed. His music is strong, engagements include the title role in Eugene Onegin for Garsington, the title role in Billy melodious, and original, and it is both beautiful in itself and admirable as a musical Budd with Opera North, Papageno for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and expression of the feeling of the words. Silent Noon, Death in Love, and Love’s Last Gift are, productions with Dallas Opera, English National Opera and Netherlands Opera. perhaps, the three best songs of an excellent set’. He sings regularly with all the BBC orchestras and all the major UK Some of the sonnets (especially numbers orchestras, as well as the Berlin Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie- 3 and 4 below) are clearly addressed to a Orchester Berlin, Russian National Orchestra, Orchestre female beloved. Vaughan Williams was not Philharmonique de Radio France, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, troubled by this when he organised that Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Cincinnati Symphony, 1904 first performance for the contralto Music of the Baroque Chicago, New York Philharmonic and Bach Edith Clegg – and we should be equally Collegium Japan amongst others. His many festival appearances include comfortable in our more broad-minded the BBC Proms (including the Last Night in 2014), Edinburgh, age; so it is astonishing that the nine Cheltenham, Bath, Aldeburgh and Melbourne festivals. complete cycles that exist in digital form Roderick Williams has an extensive discography. His numerous today are by men variously described as recordings include Vaughan Williams, Berkeley and Britten operas for tenors, baritones and bass-baritones. This Chandos and an extensive repertoire of English song with pianist Iain recording begins to restore the balance. Burnside for both Naxos and Albion Records. He is a composer and has had works premiered at Wigmore and Barbican halls, the Purcell Room and live on national radio. In December 2016 he won the prize for best choral composition at the British Composer Awards. In 2015 he started a three year odyssey of the Schubert song cycles culminating in performances at Wigmore Hall in the 17/18 season and is now in the process of recording them for Chandos. He was Artistic Director of Leeds Lieder in April 2016 and won the RPS Singer of the Year award in May 2016. He was awarded an OBE in June 2017.

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KITTY WHATELY 1 LOVE-SIGHT Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragon-fly When do I see thee most, beloved one? Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky: - Kitty Whately trained at Chetham’s School of Music, The Guildhall School of Music and When in the light the spirits of mine eyes So this winged hour is dropt to us from above. Drama, and The Royal College of Music International Opera School. Kitty was a BBC New Before thy face, their altar, solemnize Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower, Generation Artist from 2013-15, during which time she recorded her debut solo album This The worship of that Love through thee This close-companioned inarticulate hour Other Eden, and was the recipient of both the Kathleen Ferrier Award and the 59th Royal made known? When twofold silence was the song of love. Overseas League Award in the same year. In 2017 Kitty released her second album, Nights not Or when in the dusk hours, (we two alone) spent alone, to critical acclaim. Close-kissed and eloquent of still replies 3 LOVE’S MINSTRELS Opera highlights include: Mother/Other Mother in Thy twilight-hidden glimmering visage lies, One flame-winged brought a white-winged harp-player Mark-Anthony Turnage’s latest opera Coraline at the And my soul only sees thy soul its own? Even where my lady and I lay all alone; Barbican, Paquette in Bernstein’s Candide at Bergen O love - my love! if I no more should see Thyself, Saying: ‘Behold this minstrel is unknown; National Opera, Isabella in Wuthering Heights at Opéra nor on the earth the shadow of thee, Bid him depart, for I am minstrel here: National de Lorraine, Dorabella in Così fan tutte for Nor image of thine eyes in any spring, Only my songs are to love’s dear ones dear.’ Opera Holland Park, Nancy in Albert Herring for The How then should sound upon Life’s Grange Festival, and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s darkening slope Then said I ‘Through thine hautboy’s rapturous tone The groundwhirl of the perished leaves of Hope Dream in Bergen and Beijing. Unto my lady still this harp makes moan, The wind of Death’s imperishable wing? Kitty is in demand as a recitalist and concert artist. She And still she deems the cadence deep and clear.’ has given recitals at the Edinburgh International 2 SILENT NOON Then said my lady: ‘Thou art passion of Love, Festival, Oxford Lieder, Leeds Lieder, Buxton and Salisbury festivals, and performs regularly Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass, - And this Love’s worship: both he plights to me. with the UK’s major orchestras. She made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic singing The finger-points look through like rosy blooms: Thy mastering music walks the sunlit sea: Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and highlights since include Duruflé’s Requiem Your eyes smile peace. The pasture gleams But where wan water trembles in the grove, and Mozart’s Requiem (in Oslo with the Dunedin Consort and RPO), Bach’s B Minor Mass and glooms And the wan moon is all the light thereof, (Royal Northern Sinfonia and Scottish Chamber Orchestra), Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde ‘Neath billowing clouds that scatter and amass. This harp still makes my name its voluntary.’ (Mizmorim Festival), Beethoven’s Mass in C Major (Philharmonia), Haydn’s Nelson Mass All round our nest, far as the eye can pass, (Britten Sinfonia in Spain and the Netherlands), Bach’s Magnificat (Britten Sinfonia and Are golden kingcup fields with silver edge Choir of King’s College Cambridge), Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius at St John’s Smith Square and Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall. Her frequent hedge. performances with four of the BBC orchestras include De Falla’s The Three Cornered Hat, ‘Tis visible silence, still as the hour glass. recordings of Ravel’s Sheherezade, Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne and songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter.

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4 HEART’S HAVEN But a veiled woman followed, and she caught Quite a number of the songs and duets on this recording were commissioned by singers for Sometimes she is a child within mine arms, The banner round its staff, to furl and cling, their own purposes, at a time when Vaughan Williams was perhaps more inclined to accept Cow’ring beneath dark wings that love Then plucked a feather from the bearer’s wing, work as a jobbing composer – whether to broaden his knowledge, for friendship, or just for must chase, And held it to his lips that stirred it not, the money! Each of them is a worthy contribution to art, and representative of Vaughan With still tears show’ring and averted face, And said to me, ‘Behold, there is no breath: Williams’s development as a composer. Our intention is to make the works available for Inexplicably filled with faint alarms: I and this Love are one, and I am Death.’ modern critical review, within the context of a long working life’s achievement and with the And oft from mine own spirit’s hurtling harms * gonfalon: a heraldic flag or banner hung from perspective granted by looking back from the vantage point of the 21st century. I crave the refuge of her deep embrace, a horizontal bar Against all ills the fortified strong place 6 LOVE’S LAST GIFT And sweet reserve of sov’reign counter charms. John Francis Love to his singer held a glistening leaf, And Love, our light at night and shade at noon, and said: ‘The rose-tree and the apple-tree Lulls us to rest with songs, and turns away (with thanks to Florence Berland, Christian Michot, Raymond Richardson, Have fruits to vaunt or flowers to lure the bee; All shafts of shelterless tumultuous day. Marcus de Loach and Stephen Connock for help and advice). And golden shafts are in the feathered sheaf Like the moon’s growth, his face gleams through his tune; Of the great harvest marshal, the year’s chief And as soft waters warble to the moon, Victorious summer; aye, and ‘neath warm sea Our answ’ring spirits chime one roundelay. Strange secret grasses lurk inviolably Further reading Between the filtering channels of sunk reef... Michael Kennedy: A Catalogue of the Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (OUP 1996) 5 DEATH-IN-LOVE There came an image in Life’s retinue All are my blooms; and all sweet blooms of love Michael Kennedy: The Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (2nd edition, OUP 1992) That had Love’s wings and bore his gonfalon*: To thee I gave while spring and summer sang; But autumn stops to listen, with some pang Stephen Connock: Toward the Sun Rising - Ralph Vaughan Williams Remembered Fair was the web, and nobly wrought thereon, (Albion Music 2018) O soul-sequestered face, thy form and hue! From those worse things the wind is moaning of. Only this laurel dreads no winter days: Bewildering sounds, such as Spring wakens to, Take my last gift; thy heart hath sung my praise.’ Shook in its folds; and through my heart its power Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) Sped trackless as the memorable hour When birth’s dark portal groaned and all was new

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24 THINK OF ME 25 ADIEU 7-9 THREE OLD GERMAN SONGS (1902) I stood upon a high mountain Lov’d one adieu! Parting is rue! These arrangements were dedicated to Walter Ford (1861-1938), Professor of Singing And look’d into the sea. Since I must leave my bliss, at the Royal College of Music from 1895, a folk song collector who was at And there I saw ‘twas written, Grant me one parting kiss. Cambridge with Cecil Sharp and subsequently served on the committee of the Folk That we with love were smitten Lov’d one adieu! Song Society. We know from reports of Vaughan Williams’s lectures on folk songs from And should some day be one. Lov’d one adieu! Parting is rue! 1902 that his knowledge of the subject was both deep and international, so there was clearly common ground between him and Ford. Ford commissioned Vaughan Williams I went with her a-sporting, Keep thou as true to me to make settings of German and French songs for him to sing at several series of a-sporting in the wood, as I’ll be true to thee, concert-lectures that he gave all over the country. I thought to give her something, Lov’d one adieu! Some keepsake tho’ a dumb thing The first song, Entlaubet ist der Walde, was sung on 27 November 1902 at a recital by Lov’d one adieu! Parting is rue! Of gold a tiny ring. Mr Campbell McInnes, when the first performance of Blackmwore by the Stour was also Grieve not my dearest heart, given. Walter Ford performed it himself with the second song, Wanderlied, at a lecture A little ring it is no gift, Death only can us part, recital on 10 November 1905. The two songs were published together in 1937 - It costeth naught but gold. Lov’d one adieu! including extremely free English translations by Ford, though we have recorded them A ring a trump’ry farthing, German folk song, translated by Arthur Foxton Ferguson with the German text. There are two references to violets in Wanderlied. Does the We are not all a-starving. (1866-1920) symbolism extend this far, or is the poet just enjoying the early summer? Earth still has something left. A third song, Der Morgenstern, has just a single verse in the manuscript, Vaughan Farewell then my fine mistress, Williams writing in a letter that ‘I thought Walter Ford was going to supply the rest of For we must part for aye, the words and a translation. I tried to start it myself but find that the German words in Yet lest I one day come again, my copy do not scan.’ We were able to track down an 18th century German setting For lovers sometimes are insane, from which the first verse matched those set in Vaughan Williams’s manuscript – so we Fair maid, pray think of me. used the remaining two verses from that source, which scanned satisfactorily. Within German folk song, translated by Arthur Foxton that first verse we find the first references to both joy and the nightingale. Ferguson (1866-1920) The German texts below are as printed either by OUP in 1937 or by Breitkopf and Härtel in 1879 - with old German spellings, some of which we were able to verify against sources going back to 1500.

7 ENTLAUBET IST DER WALDE Entlaubet ist der Walde Thy cruel winds are shaking Geg’n diesem Winter kalt, The leaves from every tree, beraubet werd ich balde O winter thou’rt taking Meins lieb, das macht mich alt. My love away from me. Dass ich die schön muss meiden, The wood stands bare and dreary

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Die mir gefallen thut Against the bitter cold 22 THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE 23 A PIPER Das bringt mir heimlich Leiden And oh! my heart is weary, It is a whisper among the hazel bushes; A Piper in the streets to-day Und macht mir schweren Muth. Forlorn I feel and old. It is a long, low, whispering voice that fills Set up, and tuned, and started to play, Was lässt du mir zur Letze, Leave not some word unspoken, With a sad music the bending and swaying rushes; And away, away, away on the tide Feins braunschwarz Meidelein Dark Maiden, whom I love, It is a heart beat deep in the quiet hills. Of his music we started; on every side Doors and windows were opened wide, Das mich die Weil ergetze, That I may keep for token Twilight people, why will you still be crying, And men left down their work and came, So ich von dir muss sein? That you will constant prove. Crying and calling to me out of the trees? And women with petticoats coloured like flame. Hofnung thut mich erneren, Alone I dream with yearning For under the quiet grass the wise are lying, And little bare feet that were blue with cold Nach dir so werd ich krank; Of you in lands apart, And all the strong ones are gone over the seas. Thu bald herwider kehren And pine for your returning Went dancing back to the age of gold, And I am old, and in my heart at your calling Zeit und weil wird mir lang. To give me back my heart. And all the world went gay, went gay, Only the old dead dreams a-fluttering go; For half an hour in the street to-day. Old German song, free English translation by Walter Ford. As the wind, the forest wind, in its falling Seumas O’Sullivan (1879-1958) Sets the withered leaves fluttering to and fro. 8 WANDERLIED Wolauf, gut G’sell, von hinnen, Farewell, my friend! I leave you, Seumas O’Sullivan (1879-1958) Meins Bleibens ist hie nicht mehr; I can no longer stay; DUETS (1903) Der Mai, der thut uns bringen Though violets and the clover Den Veiel und grünem Klee. make bright the fields of May, Both of the songs recorded here (Think of Me and Adieu) are German folk songs in English Vor’m Wald da hört man singen And all the woods are ringing translation by the baritone Arthur Foxton Ferguson, who was to sing them with the Der kleinen Vöglein G’sang, with the sweet blackbird’s song. soprano Beatrice [Fanny] Spencer, who was a regular singing partner since both were Die singen mit heller Stimme, You’ll hear their voices singing members of the ‘Folk-Song Quartet’ that Foxton Ferguson had formed in 1901. The first Den ganzen Sommer lang. the whole glad summer long. London performance of the duets as recorded in the Catalogue, with Ernest Walker on the Ich kann nicht mehr geschweigen, To you I must discover piano, in Steinway Hall on 22 March 1904, was pre-empted by one in St. John’s Rooms, Es g’lag mir nie so hart, my secret e’er we part, Southampton, on 4 February 1904 when there was apparently a third duet, Cousin Michael, Dass ich trag heimlich leiden I pine with silent longing which has not survived. Cousin Michael and (probably) Adieu had made an earlier Geg’n einem Frewlein zart. for a sweet maiden’s heart. appearance in Exeter in April 1903. Of the three songs, it appears that Adieu was the one Ihr Lieb hat mih umbfangen Her love will e’er enfold me thought most worthy of repeated performance at the time. Darzu ihr gut Gestalt. Though in strange lands I roam, Dass ich dich, Lieb, muss meiden, For cruel fate doth hold me Foxton Ferguson was no doubt a good friend to Vaughan Williams; like him he was wont Darzu bringt mich Gewalt. And sends me far from home. to deliver lectures on folk song to make ends meet, and also wrote a series of articles for the Girl’s Own Paper.

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learn the songs as they worked. Now and then, the place would get a new coat of whitewash Das Megdlein an der Zinnen lag, The maid sat at her window and a fresh layer of song sheets.’ Sie sah zum Fenster naus, And looked upon the street, In rechter Lieb und Treue And, as he passed, two garlands Fare you well my dear, I must be gone, The sea will never run dry, my dear, Warf sie zwei Krenzlein ’raus, She dropped before his feet. And leave you for a while; Nor the rocks never melt with the sun, Das eine war von Veiel, The one was bound with clover If I roam away I’ll come back again, But I never will prove false to the bonny lass I love Das ander von grünem Klee. The other with violets fine. Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear, Till all those things be done, my dear, ‘Soll ich dich, feins Lieb, meiden, ‘Parting’ she sang ‘will never Though I roam ten thousand miles. Till all those things be done. Mei’m Herzen dem g’schieht Weh!’ Undo your love and mine.’ As fair thou art my bonny lass, O yonder doth sit that little turtle dove, Traditional, 15th-16th century, English translation by Walter Ford. So deep in love am I; He doth sit on yonder high tree, 9 MORGENSTERN But I never will prove false to the bonny lass I love A-making a moan for the loss of his love, Der Morgenstern ist auf gegangen, The morning star is risen, Till the stars fall from the sky, my dear, As I will do for thee, my dear, er leucht’ daher zu dieser Stunde, The light is now bright. Till the stars fall from the sky. As I will do for thee. hoch über Berg’ und tiefe Thal’ High above the mountain and deep valley Traditional fur Freud’ singt die liebe Nachtigall. The lovely nightingale sings for joy. TWO POEMS BY SEUMAS O’SULLIVAN (1925) Der Wächter singt uns auf der Zinnen, The guard sings to us from the battlements, Seumas (or Seumus) O’Sullivan was the adopted name of James Sullivan Starkey (1879- weckt auf den Held mit sanften Sinnen: Awakening the hero with gentle senses: 1958), an Irish poet and editor of ‘The Dublin Magazine’. Vaughan Williams was widely read “Wach auf, wach auf! Es ist wohl an der Zeit!” “Awake, awake! The time has come!” and loved poetry, but perhaps it is significant that these settings of O’Sullivan’s poems were und schützt der Jungfrau’n Ehre, dem Held sein’n The hero shields the maiden to protect her published in the year that Vaughan Williams began work on his opera based on the Irish jungen Leib. honour. playwright J M Synge’s ‘Riders to the Sea’. Both of the poems that Vaughan Williams set “Ade fein’s Lieb, dass Gott dich behüte,” “May God keep you in his great love,” were written somewhat earlier: ‘The Twilight People’ in 1905 and ‘A Piper’ in 1908. These dein denkt allzeit mein true Gemüthe; This thought is always in my mind; poems have attracted composers including Arthur Benjamin, Ivor Gurney, Herbert Howells, “Du hast mein junges Herz in Trauern gebracht, “You have broken my young heart, Michael Head and Vaughan Williams’s pupil William Lloyd Webber. Dass ich muss von dir scheiden, ade zu guter Nacht!” So that I must now leave you, farewell.” The composer noted on the published scores that they may be sung without accompaniment A fifteenth century folk song. – and Ian Partridge recorded The Twilight People in that form. This is the first recording of the songs with Vaughan Williams’s piano accompaniment. The Twilight People is dark and 10 TO DAFFODILS mysterious, anticipating the angularity of the cycle Along the Field that was to follow in (Gunby Hall Setting c. 1903) 1925/26 (ALBCD038 Time and Space), or even the bleakness of the Ten Blake Songs of 1957. Vaughan Williams made an early setting of Robert Herrick’s poem in 1895 – recorded A Piper is warmer, very modal, but set with the lightest possible touch. by Roderick Williams with Iain Burnside on Albion ALBCD002 Kissing her Hair. This later setting was found at Gunby Hall, where the composer liked to visit his cousin

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Stephen Massingberd and his wife Margaret, a couple who brought a great deal of music 20 THE SPANISH LADIES (1912) to Lincolnshire. The manuscript is in a neat hand, perhaps Margaret’s, but the composer This arrangement of ‘traditional’ words and tune was published in 1912, but also arranged wrote the title and signed it (hyphenating Vaughan-Williams as he often did in this era), for both unison and mixed voices. This old sea song became a staple of the many adding, with typical self-deprecating humour: ‘with the composer’s apologies’. competitive choral festivals that took place annually in the first half of the 20th century; The 1895 setting is a confident work that Stephen Connock suggested in his notes for Vaughan Williams conducted it himself at the closing concert of the Leith Hill Musical ALBCD002 was reminiscent of Schumann, with pulsing notes in the piano part driving Festival in May 1914. The song describes a voyage from Spain to the Downs from the forward the action, concluding in loss and sadness. This later setting, still romantic, is viewpoint of ratings of the Royal Navy and probably dates from the late eighteenth reminiscent of the 1903 Orpheus with his Lute; the very short lines half way through each century. verse are repeated as the music builds to a climax and then concludes with gentleness. Fare you well and adieu to you, Spanish ladies, We hove our ship to all for to get sounded, Fair Daffodils, we weep to see We have short time to stay, as you, Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain, We hove our ship to, and soundings took we; You haste away so soon; We have as short a spring; For we’ve received orders for to sail for old England; We had forty fathoms and a bright sandy bottom, As yet the early-rising sun As quick a growth to meet decay, And I hope in a short time to see you again. And we squared our main yard and up channel stood we. Has not attain’d his noon. As you, or anything. Then we’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors, Stay, stay, We die We’ll rant and we’ll roar across the salt sea; The first land we made was calléd the Deadman, Until the hasting day has run As your hours do, and dry away, Until we arrive at the channel of Old England, Next Ram Head by Plymouth, Starts Portland and But to the even-song; Like to the summer’s rain; And from Ushant to Scilly is forty-five leagues. Wight, And, having pray’d together, we Or as the pearls of morning’s dew, We passéd by Beachy, by Dungeness and Fairley, Will go with you along. Ne’er to be found again. Till at length we arrivéd at North Foreland Light. Robert Herrick 1591-1674 Traditional

FRENCH SONGS (1903-1904) 21 THE TURTLE DOVE (1919-1934) Vaughan Williams made arrangements of a number of French songs in 1903 and 1904; it is This 18th century folk ballad was collected by Vaughan Williams from David Penfold in possible that they were all written for Walter Ford, but some of them (like the German The Plough Inn, Rusper, Sussex in November 1904. It was published in an arrangement songs of 1902) were sung at concerts by other singers. Francis Harford was a bass-baritone for male voices with piano accompaniment in 1919, then for mixed voices with baritone who regularly pioneered new songs by English composers; he gave the ‘first London’ solo in 1924, and finally as a unison song with piano or orchestral accompaniment in 1934. The recording on this disc is of that ‘unison’ arrangement, with piano. A classic song performance of Jean Renaud and L’Amour de Moy at St. James’s Hall on 11 February 1904. of parting and farewell, it has become one of the composer’s best-loved folk song Ford sang them in concert-lectures in Leighton House, London, in November 1904 but arrangements. The folk singer A.L. Lloyd, who was co-author with Vaughan Williams of had probably already sung them in a similar series of eight lecture-recitals in Eastbourne ‘The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs’ wrote that: ‘Around 1770, leaflets bearing the from October 1903. words of this song were being hawked about the fairgrounds of England and Scotland. Milkmaids and horse-handlers would paste such leaflets on the walls of dairy and stable to

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17 TAKE, O TAKE THOSE LIPS AWAY To-whit, to-who, a merry note, 11 QUANT LI LOUSEIGNOLZ (QUAND LE ROSSIGNOL) Take, O take those lips away While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. This was catalogued as Quand le Rossignol - but Vaughan Williams set what looked That so sweetly were forsworn; William Shakespeare (1564-1616), from Love’s like a modern French text (by an unknown translator, possibly Walter Ford), adding a And those eyes, the break of day, Labours Lost question mark to indicate a line that did not make sense. He left instructions to Lights that do mislead the morn; substitute the early French (Langue d’oïl) words from a copy that did not survive with But my kisses bring again, 19 ORPHEUS WITH HIS LUTE the manuscript. We researched the words, and Roderick Williams performs the song as Seals of love, but sealed in vain. Orpheus with his lute made trees, Quant li louseignolz jolis chante seur la flor d’esté. Louseignolz comes from the Latin William Shakespeare (1564-1616), And the mountain tops that freeze, Luscinia (Nightingale), or its diminutive Lusciniola. Linking the nightingale with the rose from Measure for Measure Bow themselves when he did sing: and the lily, this first stanza is an expression of joy or ecstasy that would have appealed To his music plants and flowers to the composer of The Lark Ascending. Subsequent stanzas are more conventional love 18 WHEN ICICLES HANG BY THE WALL Ever sprung; as sun and showers poetry and we concluded that the first verse was complete in itself. When icicles hang by the wall, There had made a lasting spring. Vaughan Williams’s manuscript attributes the song to Regnault de Coucy, Lord of And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, Every thing that heard him play, Coucy castle in Northern France, but the words and melody are more likely to have And Tom bears logs into the hall, Even the billows of the sea, been the work of Guy IV, Castellan or Châtelain de Coucy – the man responsible for And milk comes frozen home in pail, Hung their heads, and then lay by. the defence of the castle. The first died at the siege of Acre in the third crusade in When blood is nipped, and ways be foul, In sweet music is such art, November 1191; the second died at sea in the fourth crusade in 1203. This is number Then nightly sings the staring owl, Killing care and grief of heart 12 of 24 songs, and the poetry suggests that they were all written as lovers were about To-who; Fall asleep, or hearing, die. to depart on crusades, so they date to the early months either of 1190 or 1202. It has To-whit, to-who, a merry note, probably not been realised that Vaughan Williams made an arrangement of anything as While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. William Shakespeare (1564-1616), from Henry VIII early as this, and it enables us to see another facet of this most versatile composer. When all aloud the wind doth blow, And coughing drowns the parson’s saw, Quant li louseignolz jolis When the pretty nightingale And birds sit brooding in the snow, chante seur la flor d’esté, sings of the summer flower, And Marian’s nose looks red and raw, que nest la rose et le lis, from which spring the rose and the lily, When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl, et la rousée ou vert pré, and the dew on the green meadow; Then nightly sings the staring owl, plains de bonne volonté filled with good will, To-who; chanterai con fins amis; I will sing as a tender lover. Mès d’itant sui esbahis, But I am so overwhelmed (dumbfounded), que j’ai si très haut pensé, my thought is so high, qu’a painnes iert acomplis that I can scarcely attain (accomplish) li servirs dont j’atent gré. a song that will be appreciated. Châtelain de Coucy, in 1190 or 1202, English translation by Florence Berland

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12 L’AMOUR DE MOY composers, and Vaughan Williams also composed a part-song to these words as one of L’Amour de Moy is a 14th or 15th century song. Unlike the other French songs here, this Three Elizabethan Songs. setting was published in 1907, with a translation by Paul England. It is the third of the nightingale songs in this album, and there are more symbolic ingredients in common with The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree, The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur’d her moans the preceding troubadour song, as joy is inspired once more by the rose, the lily and the Sing willow, willow, willow, Her salt tears fell from her, & soften’d the stones. nightingale; and finally the ‘sweeter maid’ gathers violets from a green meadow - the latter With her hand in her bosom, her head on her knee, Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve, (‘en ung vert pré,’ an image also found in the troubadour song) being lost in Paul England’s Sing willow, willow, willow He was born to be fair, I to die for his love. metrical translation. For a contrast, you might want to compare Vaughan Williams’s setting of Sing willow, willow, willow my garland shall be it with Nana Mouskouri’s on YouTube. Sing all a green willow, Willow, willow, I call’d my love false love but what said he then? Sing all a green willow My garland shall be. If I court more women, you’ll couch with more men. L’amour de moy s’y est enclose, Love hath set up his secret bower Old English, adapted by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Dedans ung joly jardinet, Deep in a garden deep and fair; Où croist la rose et le muguet, Lily and rose do charm the air, THREE SONGS FROM SHAKESPEARE (1925) Et aussy fait la passerose. And fragrance blown from many a flower The Three Shakespeare Songs for mixed chorus (1951) are better known, so it is useful to Ce jardin est bel et plaisant; Fair is that garden, full of bliss, note that these much earlier Three Songs from Shakespeare for voice and piano are Il est garny de toutes fleurs; Broider’d with blossoms fresh and gay, altogether different songs. The Three Songs were published in 1925, with alternative On y prend son esbattement Where all my joy and comfort is, versions as unison songs; the last of them with an accompaniment for strings and an Autant la nuit comme le jour. Sweetly to rest by night or day. alternative arrangement for mixed chorus. The tenor Steuart Wilson’s first performance on 27 March 1925 attracted a rather sniffy Times review, regretting that the composer’s Helas ! Il n’est si doulce chose Hark! From her haunt among the roses style had changed and suggesting that ‘This new marriage of music and poetry in which Que de ce doulx rousignolet Sweetly there sings the nightingale, both manage their own incomes and possess their own souls may be as fruitful of Qui chante au soir, au matinet : Sweet thro’ the night, till stars are pale, happiness as the old Roman law, when human feeling has had time to work over it.’ In Quand il est las, il se repose. And scarce at morn her song she closes. fact this was a remarkable concert, including the Four Hymns with a new piano quintet Je la vy l’autre jour, cueillir I’ve seen my love at early dawn accompaniment, Two Poems by Seumas O’Sullivan (tracks 22 and 23 below) and Four La violette en ung vert pré, Gather the violet newly blown. Poems by Fredegond Shove. Michael Kennedy suggested in his musical biography of the La plus belle qu’oncques je veis, No fairer flower did strew the lawn, composer that all of these songs were too subtle for immediate appreciation. Et la plus plaisante à mon gré. No sweeter maid was ever known. The last of the three songs, Orpheus with his Lute, can be contrasted directly with the French, approximately 15th century, English translation by Paul England. 1903 setting of the same text (ALBCD002 Kissing her Hair).The most noticeable difference is that the earlier setting takes twice as long to perform as the later one; both 13 JEAN RENAUD the singer and the piano linger and luxuriate in the 1903 music, while the later style is Jean Renaud is variously attributed to the twelfth and fifteenth centuries; it is certainly one altogether more concise, with not an ounce of surplus fat. That more austere style, which of the oldest French songs and there are more than 90 variants of the ballad. The version set developed after World War 1, characterises all three of these very short songs.

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15 BUONAPARTY (1908) by Vaughan Williams is less grisly than some others, since King Renaud is often After the French songs, Buonaparty is decidedly English, a poem taken with Thomas portrayed riding home from battle with his ‘tripes’ (guts) in his hands. Nonetheless, the king and knight has been mortally wounded and soon expires. His wife, newly- Hardy’s approval from his magnum opus ‘The Dynasts’, ‘an epic-drama of the war with delivered of a son, is kept from the news until she sees his tomb and has to be told. Napoleon’. Vaughan Williams loved Hardy’s novels – his last symphony was inspired by It has been reinterpreted many times, even by Edith Piaf. Vaughan Williams set it in ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ - but his widow Ursula said that he could not read ‘The French as recorded here, but the Catalogue records the existence of an English Dynasts’. He wrote to Gerald Finzi of another Hardy poem:‘It is a pity Hardy had to translation by Paul England (c. 1863-1932) which has not survived, so we supplied twist his words thus’; this perhaps explains why this is one of only two settings by him our own. We know that Francis Harford sang the songs in French, a language which of Hardy’s poetry, the other being ‘The Oxen’, drawn to his attention by Ursula and set the London Daily News suggested was ‘not his strong point’, but we do not know as part of Hodie in 1954. Despite this, he praised settings of Hardy by a number of what language Walter Ford sang in. other composers. Buonaparty was intended (though not used) for his ballad opera Hugh the Drover. Quand Jean Renaud de guerr’ revint When Jean Renaud returned from the battle Il en revint triste et chagrin. He was sad and sorrowful. Sa mère à la fenêtre en haut His mother called from the high window: We be the King’s men, hale and hearty, We be the King’s men, hale and hearty, ‘Voici venir mon fils Renaud.’ ‘Here comes my son Renaud.’ Marching to meet one Buonaparty; Marching to meet one Buonaparty; If he won’t sail, lest the wind should blow, Never mind, mates; we’ll be merry, though ‘Bonjour, Renaud, bonjour mon fils, ‘Hello, Renaud, hello my son, We shall have marched for nothing, O! We may have marched for nothing, O! Ta femme est accouchée d’un fils.’ Your wife has given birth to a son.’ Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! ‘Ni de ma femme ni de mon fils ‘Neither my wife nor my son We shall have marched for nothing, O! We may have marched for nothing, O! Je ne saurai me réjouir.’ Can now make me happy.’ We be the King’s men, hale and hearty, Thomas Hardy, 1840-1928, from The Dynasts ‘Que l’on me fasse vite un lit blanc ‘Let me quickly make a white bed Marching to meet one Buonaparty; Pour que je m’y couche dedans.’ So that I may lie down on it.’ If he be sea-sick, says ‘No, no!’ Et quand ce vint sur la minuit And when it came to midnight We shall have marched for nothing, O! Le beau Renaud rendit l’esprit. The handsome Renaud gave up his spirit. Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! « Dites-moi, ma mère, ma mie, ‘Tell me, my mother, my heart, We shall have marched for nothing, O! Irai je à la messe aujourd’hui? » Will I go to Mass today?’ 16 THE WILLOW SONG (1897) « Ma fille attendez à demain ‘My daughter, wait until tomorrow Et vous irez pour le certain.’ And you will go for certain.’ The unpublished manuscript is dated Feb 19th 1897 and headed ‘The Willow Song – Old English, arr. by RVW’. The earliest record of it is in a book of lute music from Quand elle fut dans l’église entrée She got to the church entrance 1583, but Shakespeare used the song in ‘Othello’ – changing the victim from a man to De l’eau bénite-y-on a présenté, Where the holy water is presented, a woman so that Desdemona could sing it.This setting of the Elizabethan or earlier Et puis levant les yeux en haut And then, raising her eyes, tune retains Shakespeare’s revised text. The piece has long been popular with Elle aperçut le grand tombeau. She saw the great tomb.

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‘Dites-moi, ma mère, ma mie, ‘Tell me, my mother, my heart, Walter Ford performed it in a lecture concert in January 1905 and The Times described Qu’est-ce ce tombeau signifie?’ What does this tomb mean?’ it as: ‘a wonderfully successful arrangement by Mr. R.Vaughan Williams, who has treated ‘Ma fille, j’ne puis vous le cacher, ‘My daughter, I cannot hide it from you, the tune in the manner of Bach’s organ chorales, with delightful imitative passages in C’est votr’mari qui a trépassé.’ It is your husband who has passed away.’ the accompaniment, and with the happiest possible assumption of the old character. Nothing could have been better than the air, the arrangement, the spirited rendering of ‘Renaud, Renaud, mon réconfort, ‘Renaud, Renaud, my solace, the song, or the admirable accompanying of Mr. Bird.’ Te voilà donc au rang des morts. So here you are among the dead. Renaud, Renaud, mon réconfort, Renaud, Renaud, my comfort, Que Dieu se montre seulement Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: Let them Te voilà donc au rang des morts.’ You have joined the ranks of the dead.’ Et l’on verra soudainement also that hate him flee before him. Like as the smoke Abandonner la place. vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away: and like as wax Elle se fit dire trois messes, She heard three masses: melteth at the fire, so let the ungodly perish at the A la première elle se confesse At the first she confessed; Le camp des ennemis épars, presence of God. A la seconde ell’ communia At the second she ate the bread; Et ses haineux, de toutes parts, A la troisième elle expira. At the third she expired. Fuir devant sa face. French traditional Dieu les fera tous s’enfuir Ainsi qu’on voit s’évanouir 14 LE PSAUME DES BATAILLES (QUE DIEU SE MONTRE SEULEMENT) Un amas de fumée. Comme la cire auprès du feu, Le Psaume des batailles (Que Dieu Se Montre Seulement) is a setting of Psalm 68: ‘Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate him flee before him.’ The Ainsi des méchants, devant Dieu, psalm begins with God triumphing over his enemies, and the righteous singing praises to La force est consumée. the God of triumph. Its combative associations inspired Crusaders, setting out for the recovery of the Holy Land; Savonarola and his monks, chanting it as they marched to Mais, en présence de Seigneur, But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God: let them also be merry and joyful. O sing unto God, and sing their ‘trial of fire’ in Florence in 1498; the Huguenots, reformed Christians in sixteenth Les justes chantent sa grandeur Et sa gloire immortelle. praises unto his Name: magnify him that rideth upon the century France who suffered terrible persecution; and Oliver Cromwell as the sun rose on heavens, as it were upon an horse; praise him in his Name the mists of the morning before the battle of Dunbar in 1650. Et dans la grande joie qu’ils ont Jah, and rejoice before him. Qu’en fuite, les méchants s’en vont, John Calvin published the first, incomplete, version of the ‘Psautier Huguenot’ (the Ils sautent d’allégresse. Geneva Psalter) in 1539 - but Psalm 68, set in metrical verse by Théodore de Bèze, Justes chantez tout d’une voix followed in the complete edition of 1562. The tune from which Vaughan Williams made Au Dieu des dieux, au Roi des rois, his setting is sometimes attributed to Claude Goudimel, but he made a four part harmony La louange immortelle, (not used by Vaughan Williams) and the tune itself is more likely to have been composed Car par l’orage il est porté, by Matthias Greiter (c.1494-1550). Vaughan Williams set just the first stanza, representing verses 1 to 2 (of 35), but left instructions to take the words from a source that did not Son nom est plein de majesté, survive with the manuscript; we added a second stanza in a version from the Geneva L’Eternel il s’appelle! Psalter of 1729. Psalm 68, vv. 1-4, from the Psautier Huguenot, translated by Théodore de Bèze (1519-1605). English translation by Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), from the Book of Common Prayer.

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‘Dites-moi, ma mère, ma mie, ‘Tell me, my mother, my heart, Walter Ford performed it in a lecture concert in January 1905 and The Times described Qu’est-ce ce tombeau signifie?’ What does this tomb mean?’ it as: ‘a wonderfully successful arrangement by Mr. R. Vaughan Williams, who has treated ‘Ma fille, j’ne puis vous le cacher, ‘My daughter, I cannot hide it from you, the tune in the manner of Bach’s organ chorales, with delightful imitative passages in C’est votr’mari qui a trépassé.’ It is your husband who has passed away.’ the accompaniment, and with the happiest possible assumption of the old character. Nothing could have been better than the air, the arrangement, the spirited rendering of ‘Renaud, Renaud, mon réconfort, ‘Renaud, Renaud, my solace, the song, or the admirable accompanying of Mr. Bird.’ Te voilà donc au rang des morts. So here you are among the dead. Renaud, Renaud, mon réconfort, Renaud, Renaud, my comfort, Que Dieu se montre seulement Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: Let them Te voilà donc au rang des morts.’ You have joined the ranks of the dead.’ Et l’on verra soudainement also that hate him flee before him. Like as the smoke Abandonner la place. vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away: and like as wax Elle se fit dire trois messes, She heard three masses: melteth at the fire, so let the ungodly perish at the A la première elle se confesse At the first she confessed; Le camp des ennemis épars, presence of God. A la seconde ell’ communia At the second she ate the bread; Et ses haineux, de toutes parts, A la troisième elle expira. At the third she expired. Fuir devant sa face. French traditional Dieu les fera tous s’enfuir Ainsi qu’on voit s’évanouir 14 LE PSAUME DES BATAILLES (QUE DIEU SE MONTRE SEULEMENT) Un amas de fumée. Comme la cire auprès du feu, Le Psaume des batailles (Que Dieu Se Montre Seulement) is a setting of Psalm 68:‘Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate him flee before him.’ The Ainsi des méchants, devant Dieu, psalm begins with God triumphing over his enemies, and the righteous singing praises to La force est consumée. the God of triumph. Its combative associations inspired Crusaders, setting out for the recovery of the Holy Land; Savonarola and his monks, chanting it as they marched to Mais, en présence de Seigneur, But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God: let them also be merry and joyful. O sing unto God, and sing their ‘trial of fire’ in Florence in 1498; the Huguenots, reformed Christians in sixteenth Les justes chantent sa grandeur Et sa gloire immortelle. praises unto his Name: magnify him that rideth upon the century France who suffered terrible persecution; and Oliver Cromwell as the sun rose on heavens, as it were upon an horse; praise him in his Name the mists of the morning before the battle of Dunbar in 1650. Et dans la grande joie qu’ils ont Jah, and rejoice before him. Qu’en fuite, les méchants s’en vont, John Calvin published the first, incomplete, version of the ‘Psautier Huguenot’ (the Ils sautent d’allégresse. Geneva Psalter) in 1539 - but Psalm 68, set in metrical verse by Théodore de Bèze, Justes chantez tout d’une voix followed in the complete edition of 1562. The tune from which Vaughan Williams made Au Dieu des dieux, au Roi des rois, his setting is sometimes attributed to Claude Goudimel, but he made a four part harmony La louange immortelle, (not used by Vaughan Williams) and the tune itself is more likely to have been composed Car par l’orage il est porté, by Matthias Greiter (c.1494-1550).Vaughan Williams set just the first stanza, representing verses 1 to 2 (of 35), but left instructions to take the words from a source that did not Son nom est plein de majesté, survive with the manuscript; we added a second stanza in a version from the Geneva L’Eternel il s’appelle! Psalter of 1729. Psalm 68, vv. 1-4, from the Psautier Huguenot, translated by Théodore de Bèze (1519-1605). English translation by Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), from the Book of Common Prayer.

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15 BUONAPARTY (1908) by Vaughan Williams is less grisly than some others, since King Renaud is often After the French songs, Buonaparty is decidedly English, a poem taken with Thomas portrayed riding home from battle with his ‘tripes’ (guts) in his hands. Nonetheless, the king and knight has been mortally wounded and soon expires. His wife, newly- Hardy’s approval from his magnum opus ‘The Dynasts’, ‘an epic-drama of the war with delivered of a son, is kept from the news until she sees his tomb and has to be told. Napoleon’. Vaughan Williams loved Hardy’s novels – his last symphony was inspired by It has been reinterpreted many times, even by Edith Piaf. Vaughan Williams set it in ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ - but his widow Ursula said that he could not read ‘The French as recorded here, but the Catalogue records the existence of an English Dynasts’. He wrote to Gerald Finzi of another Hardy poem: ‘It is a pity Hardy had to translation by Paul England (c. 1863-1932) which has not survived, so we supplied twist his words thus’; this perhaps explains why this is one of only two settings by him our own. We know that Francis Harford sang the songs in French, a language which of Hardy’s poetry, the other being ‘The Oxen’, drawn to his attention by Ursula and set the London Daily News suggested was ‘not his strong point’, but we do not know as part of Hodie in 1954. Despite this, he praised settings of Hardy by a number of what language Walter Ford sang in. other composers. Buonaparty was intended (though not used) for his ballad opera Hugh the Drover. Quand Jean Renaud de guerr’ revint When Jean Renaud returned from the battle Il en revint triste et chagrin. He was sad and sorrowful. Sa mère à la fenêtre en haut His mother called from the high window: We be the King’s men, hale and hearty, We be the King’s men, hale and hearty, ‘Voici venir mon fils Renaud.’ ‘Here comes my son Renaud.’ Marching to meet one Buonaparty; Marching to meet one Buonaparty; If he won’t sail, lest the wind should blow, Never mind, mates; we’ll be merry, though ‘Bonjour, Renaud, bonjour mon fils, ‘Hello, Renaud, hello my son, We shall have marched for nothing, O! We may have marched for nothing, O! Ta femme est accouchée d’un fils.’ Your wife has given birth to a son.’ Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! ‘Ni de ma femme ni de mon fils ‘Neither my wife nor my son We shall have marched for nothing, O! We may have marched for nothing, O! Je ne saurai me réjouir.’ Can now make me happy.’ We be the King’s men, hale and hearty, Thomas Hardy, 1840-1928, from The Dynasts ‘Que l’on me fasse vite un lit blanc ‘Let me quickly make a white bed Marching to meet one Buonaparty; Pour que je m’y couche dedans.’ So that I may lie down on it.’ If he be sea-sick, says ‘No, no!’ Et quand ce vint sur la minuit And when it came to midnight We shall have marched for nothing, O! Le beau Renaud rendit l’esprit. The handsome Renaud gave up his spirit. Right fol-lol! Right fol-lol! « Dites-moi, ma mère, ma mie, ‘Tell me, my mother, my heart, We shall have marched for nothing, O! Irai je à la messe aujourd’hui? » Will I go to Mass today?’ 16 THE WILLOW SONG (1897) « Ma fille attendez à demain ‘My daughter, wait until tomorrow Et vous irez pour le certain.’ And you will go for certain.’ The unpublished manuscript is dated Feb 19th 1897 and headed ‘The Willow Song – Old English, arr. by RVW’. The earliest record of it is in a book of lute music from Quand elle fut dans l’église entrée She got to the church entrance 1583, but Shakespeare used the song in ‘Othello’ – changing the victim from a man to De l’eau bénite-y-on a présenté, Where the holy water is presented, a woman so that Desdemona could sing it. This setting of the Elizabethan or earlier Et puis levant les yeux en haut And then, raising her eyes, tune retains Shakespeare’s revised text. The piece has long been popular with Elle aperçut le grand tombeau. She saw the great tomb.

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12 L’AMOUR DE MOY composers, and Vaughan Williams also composed a part-song to these words as one of L’Amour de Moy is a 14th or 15th century song. Unlike the other French songs here, this Three Elizabethan Songs. setting was published in 1907, with a translation by Paul England. It is the third of the nightingale songs in this album, and there are more symbolic ingredients in common with The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree, The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur’d her moans the preceding troubadour song, as joy is inspired once more by the rose, the lily and the Sing willow, willow, willow, Her salt tears fell from her, & soften’d the stones. nightingale; and finally the ‘sweeter maid’ gathers violets from a green meadow - the latter With her hand in her bosom, her head on her knee, Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve, (‘en ung vert pré,’ an image also found in the troubadour song) being lost in Paul England’s Sing willow, willow, willow He was born to be fair, I to die for his love. metrical translation. For a contrast, you might want to compare Vaughan Williams’s setting of Sing willow, willow, willow my garland shall be it with Nana Mouskouri’s on YouTube. Sing all a green willow, Willow, willow, I call’d my love false love but what said he then? Sing all a green willow My garland shall be. If I court more women, you’ll couch with more men. L’amour de moy s’y est enclose, Love hath set up his secret bower Old English, adapted by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Dedans ung joly jardinet, Deep in a garden deep and fair; Où croist la rose et le muguet, Lily and rose do charm the air, THREE SONGS FROM SHAKESPEARE (1925) Et aussy fait la passerose. And fragrance blown from many a flower The Three Shakespeare Songs for mixed chorus (1951) are better known, so it is useful to Ce jardin est bel et plaisant; Fair is that garden, full of bliss, note that these much earlier Three Songs from Shakespeare for voice and piano are Il est garny de toutes fleurs; Broider’d with blossoms fresh and gay, altogether different songs. The Three Songs were published in 1925, with alternative On y prend son esbattement Where all my joy and comfort is, versions as unison songs; the last of them with an accompaniment for strings and an Autant la nuit comme le jour. Sweetly to rest by night or day. alternative arrangement for mixed chorus. The tenor Steuart Wilson’s first performance on 27 March 1925 attracted a rather sniffy Times review, regretting that the composer’s Helas ! Il n’est si doulce chose Hark! From her haunt among the roses style had changed and suggesting that ‘This new marriage of music and poetry in which Que de ce doulx rousignolet Sweetly there sings the nightingale, both manage their own incomes and possess their own souls may be as fruitful of Qui chante au soir, au matinet : Sweet thro’ the night, till stars are pale, happiness as the old Roman law, when human feeling has had time to work over it.’ In Quand il est las, il se repose. And scarce at morn her song she closes. fact this was a remarkable concert, including the Four Hymns with a new piano quintet Je la vy l’autre jour, cueillir I’ve seen my love at early dawn accompaniment, Two Poems by Seumas O’Sullivan (tracks 22 and 23 below) and Four La violette en ung vert pré, Gather the violet newly blown. Poems by Fredegond Shove. Michael Kennedy suggested in his musical biography of the La plus belle qu’oncques je veis, No fairer flower did strew the lawn, composer that all of these songs were too subtle for immediate appreciation. Et la plus plaisante à mon gré. No sweeter maid was ever known. The last of the three songs, Orpheus with his Lute, can be contrasted directly with the French, approximately 15th century, English translation by Paul England. 1903 setting of the same text (ALBCD002 Kissing her Hair). The most noticeable difference is that the earlier setting takes twice as long to perform as the later one; both 13 JEAN RENAUD the singer and the piano linger and luxuriate in the 1903 music, while the later style is Jean Renaud is variously attributed to the twelfth and fifteenth centuries; it is certainly one altogether more concise, with not an ounce of surplus fat. That more austere style, which of the oldest French songs and there are more than 90 variants of the ballad. The version set developed after World War 1, characterises all three of these very short songs.

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17 TAKE, O TAKE THOSE LIPS AWAY To-whit, to-who, a merry note, 11 QUANT LI LOUSEIGNOLZ (QUAND LE ROSSIGNOL) Take, O take those lips away While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. This was catalogued as Quand le Rossignol - but Vaughan Williams set what looked That so sweetly were forsworn; William Shakespeare (1564-1616), from Love’s like a modern French text (by an unknown translator, possibly Walter Ford), adding a And those eyes, the break of day, Labours Lost question mark to indicate a line that did not make sense. He left instructions to Lights that do mislead the morn; substitute the early French (Langue d’oïl) words from a copy that did not survive with But my kisses bring again, 19 ORPHEUS WITH HIS LUTE the manuscript. We researched the words, and Roderick Williams performs the song as Seals of love, but sealed in vain. Orpheus with his lute made trees, Quant li louseignolz jolis chante seur la flor d’esté. Louseignolz comes from the Latin William Shakespeare (1564-1616), And the mountain tops that freeze, Luscinia (Nightingale), or its diminutive Lusciniola. Linking the nightingale with the rose from Measure for Measure Bow themselves when he did sing: and the lily, this first stanza is an expression of joy or ecstasy that would have appealed To his music plants and flowers to the composer of The Lark Ascending. Subsequent stanzas are more conventional love 18 WHEN ICICLES HANG BY THE WALL Ever sprung; as sun and showers poetry and we concluded that the first verse was complete in itself. When icicles hang by the wall, There had made a lasting spring. Vaughan Williams’s manuscript attributes the song to Regnault de Coucy, Lord of And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, Every thing that heard him play, Coucy castle in Northern France, but the words and melody are more likely to have And Tom bears logs into the hall, Even the billows of the sea, been the work of Guy IV, Castellan or Châtelain de Coucy – the man responsible for And milk comes frozen home in pail, Hung their heads, and then lay by. the defence of the castle. The first died at the siege of Acre in the third crusade in When blood is nipped, and ways be foul, In sweet music is such art, November 1191; the second died at sea in the fourth crusade in 1203. This is number Then nightly sings the staring owl, Killing care and grief of heart 12 of 24 songs, and the poetry suggests that they were all written as lovers were about To-who; Fall asleep, or hearing, die. to depart on crusades, so they date to the early months either of 1190 or 1202. It has To-whit, to-who, a merry note, probably not been realised that Vaughan Williams made an arrangement of anything as While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. William Shakespeare (1564-1616), from Henry VIII early as this, and it enables us to see another facet of this most versatile composer. When all aloud the wind doth blow, And coughing drowns the parson’s saw, Quant li louseignolz jolis When the pretty nightingale And birds sit brooding in the snow, chante seur la flor d’esté, sings of the summer flower, And Marian’s nose looks red and raw, que nest la rose et le lis, from which spring the rose and the lily, When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl, et la rousée ou vert pré, and the dew on the green meadow; Then nightly sings the staring owl, plains de bonne volonté filled with good will, To-who; chanterai con fins amis; I will sing as a tender lover. Mès d’itant sui esbahis, But I am so overwhelmed (dumbfounded), que j’ai si très haut pensé, my thought is so high, qu’a painnes iert acomplis that I can scarcely attain (accomplish) li servirs dont j’atent gré. a song that will be appreciated. Châtelain de Coucy, in 1190 or 1202, English translation by Florence Berland

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Stephen Massingberd and his wife Margaret, a couple who brought a great deal of music 20 THE SPANISH LADIES (1912) to Lincolnshire. The manuscript is in a neat hand, perhaps Margaret’s, but the composer This arrangement of ‘traditional’ words and tune was published in 1912, but also arranged wrote the title and signed it (hyphenating Vaughan-Williams as he often did in this era), for both unison and mixed voices. This old sea song became a staple of the many adding, with typical self-deprecating humour: ‘with the composer’s apologies’. competitive choral festivals that took place annually in the first half of the 20th century; The 1895 setting is a confident work that Stephen Connock suggested in his notes for Vaughan Williams conducted it himself at the closing concert of the Leith Hill Musical ALBCD002 was reminiscent of Schumann, with pulsing notes in the piano part driving Festival in May 1914. The song describes a voyage from Spain to the Downs from the forward the action, concluding in loss and sadness.This later setting, still romantic, is viewpoint of ratings of the Royal Navy and probably dates from the late eighteenth reminiscent of the 1903 Orpheus with his Lute; the very short lines half way through each century. verse are repeated as the music builds to a climax and then concludes with gentleness. Fare you well and adieu to you, Spanish ladies, We hove our ship to all for to get sounded, Fair Daffodils, we weep to see We have short time to stay, as you, Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain, We hove our ship to, and soundings took we; You haste away so soon; We have as short a spring; For we’ve received orders for to sail for old England; We had forty fathoms and a bright sandy bottom, As yet the early-rising sun As quick a growth to meet decay, And I hope in a short time to see you again. And we squared our main yard and up channel stood we. Has not attain’d his noon. As you, or anything. Then we’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors, Stay, stay, We die We’ll rant and we’ll roar across the salt sea; The first land we made was calléd the Deadman, Until the hasting day has run As your hours do, and dry away, Until we arrive at the channel of Old England, Next Ram Head by Plymouth, Starts Portland and But to the even-song; Like to the summer’s rain; And from Ushant to Scilly is forty-five leagues. Wight, And, having pray’d together, we Or as the pearls of morning’s dew, We passéd by Beachy, by Dungeness and Fairley, Will go with you along. Ne’er to be found again. Till at length we arrivéd at North Foreland Light. Robert Herrick 1591-1674 Traditional

FRENCH SONGS (1903-1904) 21 THE TURTLE DOVE (1919-1934) Vaughan Williams made arrangements of a number of French songs in 1903 and 1904; it is This 18th century folk ballad was collected by Vaughan Williams from David Penfold in possible that they were all written for Walter Ford, but some of them (like the German The Plough Inn, Rusper, Sussex in November 1904. It was published in an arrangement songs of 1902) were sung at concerts by other singers. Francis Harford was a bass-baritone for male voices with piano accompaniment in 1919, then for mixed voices with baritone who regularly pioneered new songs by English composers; he gave the ‘first London’ solo in 1924, and finally as a unison song with piano or orchestral accompaniment in 1934. The recording on this disc is of that ‘unison’ arrangement, with piano. A classic song performance of Jean Renaud and L’Amour de Moy at St. James’s Hall on 11 February 1904. of parting and farewell, it has become one of the composer’s best-loved folk song Ford sang them in concert-lectures in Leighton House, London, in November 1904 but arrangements. The folk singer A.L. Lloyd, who was co-author with Vaughan Williams of had probably already sung them in a similar series of eight lecture-recitals in Eastbourne ‘The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs’ wrote that: ‘Around 1770, leaflets bearing the from October 1903. words of this song were being hawked about the fairgrounds of England and Scotland. Milkmaids and horse-handlers would paste such leaflets on the walls of dairy and stable to

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learn the songs as they worked. Now and then, the place would get a new coat of whitewash Das Megdlein an der Zinnen lag, The maid sat at her window and a fresh layer of song sheets.’ Sie sah zum Fenster naus, And looked upon the street, In rechter Lieb und Treue And, as he passed, two garlands Fare you well my dear, I must be gone, The sea will never run dry, my dear, Warf sie zwei Krenzlein ’raus, She dropped before his feet. And leave you for a while; Nor the rocks never melt with the sun, Das eine war von Veiel, The one was bound with clover If I roam away I’ll come back again, But I never will prove false to the bonny lass I love Das ander von grünem Klee. The other with violets fine. Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear, Till all those things be done, my dear, ‘Soll ich dich, feins Lieb, meiden, ‘Parting’ she sang ‘will never Though I roam ten thousand miles. Till all those things be done. Mei’m Herzen dem g’schieht Weh!’ Undo your love and mine.’ As fair thou art my bonny lass, O yonder doth sit that little turtle dove, Traditional, 15th-16th century, English translation by Walter Ford. So deep in love am I; He doth sit on yonder high tree, 9 MORGENSTERN But I never will prove false to the bonny lass I love A-making a moan for the loss of his love, Der Morgenstern ist auf gegangen, The morning star is risen, Till the stars fall from the sky, my dear, As I will do for thee, my dear, er leucht’ daher zu dieser Stunde, The light is now bright. Till the stars fall from the sky. As I will do for thee. hoch über Berg’ und tiefe Thal’ High above the mountain and deep valley Traditional fur Freud’ singt die liebe Nachtigall. The lovely nightingale sings for joy. TWO POEMS BY SEUMAS O’SULLIVAN (1925) Der Wächter singt uns auf der Zinnen, The guard sings to us from the battlements, Seumas (or Seumus) O’Sullivan was the adopted name of James Sullivan Starkey (1879- weckt auf den Held mit sanften Sinnen: Awakening the hero with gentle senses: 1958), an Irish poet and editor of ‘The Dublin Magazine’. Vaughan Williams was widely read “Wach auf, wach auf! Es ist wohl an der Zeit!” “Awake, awake! The time has come!” and loved poetry, but perhaps it is significant that these settings of O’Sullivan’s poems were und schützt der Jungfrau’n Ehre, dem Held sein’n The hero shields the maiden to protect her published in the year that Vaughan Williams began work on his opera based on the Irish jungen Leib. honour. playwright J M Synge’s ‘Riders to the Sea’. Both of the poems that Vaughan Williams set “Ade fein’s Lieb, dass Gott dich behüte,” “May God keep you in his great love,” were written somewhat earlier: ‘The Twilight People’ in 1905 and ‘A Piper’ in 1908. These dein denkt allzeit mein true Gemüthe; This thought is always in my mind; poems have attracted composers including Arthur Benjamin, Ivor Gurney, Herbert Howells, “Du hast mein junges Herz in Trauern gebracht, “You have broken my young heart, Michael Head and Vaughan Williams’s pupil William Lloyd Webber. Dass ich muss von dir scheiden, ade zu guter Nacht!” So that I must now leave you, farewell.” The composer noted on the published scores that they may be sung without accompaniment A fifteenth century folk song. – and Ian Partridge recorded The Twilight People in that form. This is the first recording of the songs with Vaughan Williams’s piano accompaniment. The Twilight People is dark and 10 TO DAFFODILS mysterious, anticipating the angularity of the cycle Along the Field that was to follow in (Gunby Hall Setting c. 1903) 1925/26 (ALBCD038 Time and Space), or even the bleakness of the Ten Blake Songs of 1957. Vaughan Williams made an early setting of Robert Herrick’s poem in 1895 – recorded A Piper is warmer, very modal, but set with the lightest possible touch. by Roderick Williams with Iain Burnside on Albion ALBCD002 Kissing her Hair. This later setting was found at Gunby Hall, where the composer liked to visit his cousin

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Die mir gefallen thut Against the bitter cold 22 THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE 23 A PIPER Das bringt mir heimlich Leiden And oh! my heart is weary, It is a whisper among the hazel bushes; A Piper in the streets to-day Und macht mir schweren Muth. Forlorn I feel and old. It is a long, low, whispering voice that fills Set up, and tuned, and started to play, Was lässt du mir zur Letze, Leave not some word unspoken, With a sad music the bending and swaying rushes; And away, away, away on the tide Feins braunschwarz Meidelein Dark Maiden, whom I love, It is a heart beat deep in the quiet hills. Of his music we started; on every side Doors and windows were opened wide, Das mich die Weil ergetze, That I may keep for token Twilight people, why will you still be crying, And men left down their work and came, So ich von dir muss sein? That you will constant prove. Crying and calling to me out of the trees? And women with petticoats coloured like flame. Hofnung thut mich erneren, Alone I dream with yearning For under the quiet grass the wise are lying, And little bare feet that were blue with cold Nach dir so werd ich krank; Of you in lands apart, And all the strong ones are gone over the seas. Thu bald herwider kehren And pine for your returning Went dancing back to the age of gold, And I am old, and in my heart at your calling Zeit und weil wird mir lang. To give me back my heart. And all the world went gay, went gay, Only the old dead dreams a-fluttering go; For half an hour in the street to-day. Old German song, free English translation by Walter Ford. As the wind, the forest wind, in its falling Seumas O’Sullivan (1879-1958) Sets the withered leaves fluttering to and fro. 8 WANDERLIED Wolauf, gut G’sell, von hinnen, Farewell, my friend! I leave you, Seumas O’Sullivan (1879-1958) Meins Bleibens ist hie nicht mehr; I can no longer stay; DUETS (1903) Der Mai, der thut uns bringen Though violets and the clover Den Veiel und grünem Klee. make bright the fields of May, Both of the songs recorded here (Think of Me and Adieu) are German folk songs in English Vor’m Wald da hört man singen And all the woods are ringing translation by the baritone Arthur Foxton Ferguson, who was to sing them with the Der kleinen Vöglein G’sang, with the sweet blackbird’s song. soprano Beatrice [Fanny] Spencer, who was a regular singing partner since both were Die singen mit heller Stimme, You’ll hear their voices singing members of the ‘Folk-Song Quartet’ that Foxton Ferguson had formed in 1901. The first Den ganzen Sommer lang. the whole glad summer long. London performance of the duets as recorded in the Catalogue, with Ernest Walker on the Ich kann nicht mehr geschweigen, To you I must discover piano, in Steinway Hall on 22 March 1904, was pre-empted by one in St. John’s Rooms, Es g’lag mir nie so hart, my secret e’er we part, Southampton, on 4 February 1904 when there was apparently a third duet, Cousin Michael, Dass ich trag heimlich leiden I pine with silent longing which has not survived. Cousin Michael and (probably) Adieu had made an earlier Geg’n einem Frewlein zart. for a sweet maiden’s heart. appearance in Exeter in April 1903. Of the three songs, it appears that Adieu was the one Ihr Lieb hat mih umbfangen Her love will e’er enfold me thought most worthy of repeated performance at the time. Darzu ihr gut Gestalt. Though in strange lands I roam, Dass ich dich, Lieb, muss meiden, For cruel fate doth hold me Foxton Ferguson was no doubt a good friend to Vaughan Williams; like him he was wont Darzu bringt mich Gewalt. And sends me far from home. to deliver lectures on folk song to make ends meet, and also wrote a series of articles for the Girl’s Own Paper.

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24 THINK OF ME 25 ADIEU 7-9 THREE OLD GERMAN SONGS (1902) I stood upon a high mountain Lov’d one adieu! Parting is rue! These arrangements were dedicated to Walter Ford (1861-1938), Professor of Singing And look’d into the sea. Since I must leave my bliss, at the Royal College of Music from 1895, a folk song collector who was at And there I saw ‘twas written, Grant me one parting kiss. Cambridge with Cecil Sharp and subsequently served on the committee of the Folk That we with love were smitten Lov’d one adieu! Song Society. We know from reports of Vaughan Williams’s lectures on folk songs from And should some day be one. Lov’d one adieu! Parting is rue! 1902 that his knowledge of the subject was both deep and international, so there was clearly common ground between him and Ford. Ford commissioned Vaughan Williams I went with her a-sporting, Keep thou as true to me to make settings of German and French songs for him to sing at several series of a-sporting in the wood, as I’ll be true to thee, concert-lectures that he gave all over the country. I thought to give her something, Lov’d one adieu! Some keepsake tho’ a dumb thing The first song, Entlaubet ist der Walde, was sung on 27 November 1902 at a recital by Lov’d one adieu! Parting is rue! Of gold a tiny ring. Mr Campbell McInnes, when the first performance of Blackmwore by the Stour was also Grieve not my dearest heart, given. Walter Ford performed it himself with the second song, Wanderlied, at a lecture A little ring it is no gift, Death only can us part, recital on 10 November 1905.The two songs were published together in 1937 - It costeth naught but gold. Lov’d one adieu! including extremely free English translations by Ford, though we have recorded them A ring a trump’ry farthing, German folk song, translated by Arthur Foxton Ferguson with the German text. There are two references to violets in Wanderlied. Does the We are not all a-starving. (1866-1920) symbolism extend this far, or is the poet just enjoying the early summer? Earth still has something left. A third song, Der Morgenstern, has just a single verse in the manuscript, Vaughan Farewell then my fine mistress, Williams writing in a letter that ‘I thought Walter Ford was going to supply the rest of For we must part for aye, the words and a translation. I tried to start it myself but find that the German words in Yet lest I one day come again, my copy do not scan.’ We were able to track down an 18th century German setting For lovers sometimes are insane, from which the first verse matched those set in Vaughan Williams’s manuscript – so we Fair maid, pray think of me. used the remaining two verses from that source, which scanned satisfactorily. Within German folk song, translated by Arthur Foxton that first verse we find the first references to both joy and the nightingale. Ferguson (1866-1920) The German texts below are as printed either by OUP in 1937 or by Breitkopf and Härtel in 1879 - with old German spellings, some of which we were able to verify against sources going back to 1500.

7 ENTLAUBET IST DER WALDE Entlaubet ist der Walde Thy cruel winds are shaking Geg’n diesem Winter kalt, The leaves from every tree, beraubet werd ich balde O winter thou’rt taking Meins lieb, das macht mich alt. My love away from me. Dass ich die schön muss meiden, The wood stands bare and dreary

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4 HEART’S HAVEN But a veiled woman followed, and she caught Quite a number of the songs and duets on this recording were commissioned by singers for Sometimes she is a child within mine arms, The banner round its staff, to furl and cling, their own purposes, at a time when Vaughan Williams was perhaps more inclined to accept Cow’ring beneath dark wings that love Then plucked a feather from the bearer’s wing, work as a jobbing composer – whether to broaden his knowledge, for friendship, or just for must chase, And held it to his lips that stirred it not, the money! Each of them is a worthy contribution to art, and representative of Vaughan With still tears show’ring and averted face, And said to me, ‘Behold, there is no breath: Williams’s development as a composer. Our intention is to make the works available for Inexplicably filled with faint alarms: I and this Love are one, and I am Death.’ modern critical review, within the context of a long working life’s achievement and with the And oft from mine own spirit’s hurtling harms * gonfalon: a heraldic flag or banner hung from perspective granted by looking back from the vantage point of the 21st century. I crave the refuge of her deep embrace, a horizontal bar Against all ills the fortified strong place 6 LOVE’S LAST GIFT And sweet reserve of sov’reign counter charms. John Francis Love to his singer held a glistening leaf, And Love, our light at night and shade at noon, and said: ‘The rose-tree and the apple-tree Lulls us to rest with songs, and turns away (with thanks to Florence Berland, Christian Michot, Raymond Richardson, Have fruits to vaunt or flowers to lure the bee; All shafts of shelterless tumultuous day. Marcus de Loach and Stephen Connock for help and advice). And golden shafts are in the feathered sheaf Like the moon’s growth, his face gleams through his tune; Of the great harvest marshal, the year’s chief And as soft waters warble to the moon, Victorious summer; aye, and ‘neath warm sea Our answ’ring spirits chime one roundelay. Strange secret grasses lurk inviolably Further reading Between the filtering channels of sunk reef... Michael Kennedy: A Catalogue of the Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (OUP 1996) 5 DEATH-IN-LOVE There came an image in Life’s retinue All are my blooms; and all sweet blooms of love Michael Kennedy: The Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (2nd edition, OUP 1992) That had Love’s wings and bore his gonfalon*: To thee I gave while spring and summer sang; But autumn stops to listen, with some pang Stephen Connock: Toward the Sun Rising - Ralph Vaughan Williams Remembered Fair was the web, and nobly wrought thereon, (Albion Music 2018) O soul-sequestered face, thy form and hue! From those worse things the wind is moaning of. Only this laurel dreads no winter days: Bewildering sounds, such as Spring wakens to, Take my last gift; thy heart hath sung my praise.’ Shook in its folds; and through my heart its power Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) Sped trackless as the memorable hour When birth’s dark portal groaned and all was new

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KITTY WHATELY 1 LOVE-SIGHT Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragon-fly When do I see thee most, beloved one? Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky: - Kitty Whately trained at Chetham’s School of Music, The Guildhall School of Music and When in the light the spirits of mine eyes So this winged hour is dropt to us from above. Drama, and The Royal College of Music International Opera School. Kitty was a BBC New Before thy face, their altar, solemnize Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower, Generation Artist from 2013-15, during which time she recorded her debut solo album This The worship of that Love through thee This close-companioned inarticulate hour Other Eden, and was the recipient of both the Kathleen Ferrier Award and the 59th Royal made known? When twofold silence was the song of love. Overseas League Award in the same year. In 2017 Kitty released her second album, Nights not Or when in the dusk hours, (we two alone) spent alone, to critical acclaim. Close-kissed and eloquent of still replies 3 LOVE’S MINSTRELS Opera highlights include: Mother/Other Mother in Thy twilight-hidden glimmering visage lies, One flame-winged brought a white-winged harp-player Mark-Anthony Turnage’s latest opera Coraline at the And my soul only sees thy soul its own? Even where my lady and I lay all alone; Barbican, Paquette in Bernstein’s Candide at Bergen O love - my love! if I no more should see Thyself, Saying: ‘Behold this minstrel is unknown; National Opera, Isabella in Wuthering Heights at Opéra nor on the earth the shadow of thee, Bid him depart, for I am minstrel here: National de Lorraine, Dorabella in Così fan tutte for Nor image of thine eyes in any spring, Only my songs are to love’s dear ones dear.’ Opera Holland Park, Nancy in Albert Herring for The How then should sound upon Life’s Grange Festival, and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s darkening slope Then said I ‘Through thine hautboy’s rapturous tone The groundwhirl of the perished leaves of Hope Dream in Bergen and Beijing. Unto my lady still this harp makes moan, The wind of Death’s imperishable wing? Kitty is in demand as a recitalist and concert artist. She And still she deems the cadence deep and clear.’ has given recitals at the Edinburgh International 2 SILENT NOON Then said my lady: ‘Thou art passion of Love, Festival, Oxford Lieder, Leeds Lieder, Buxton and Salisbury festivals, and performs regularly Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass, - And this Love’s worship: both he plights to me. with the UK’s major orchestras. She made her debut with the Berlin Philharmonic singing The finger-points look through like rosy blooms: Thy mastering music walks the sunlit sea: Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and highlights since include Duruflé’s Requiem Your eyes smile peace. The pasture gleams But where wan water trembles in the grove, and Mozart’s Requiem (in Oslo with the Dunedin Consort and RPO), Bach’s B Minor Mass and glooms And the wan moon is all the light thereof, (Royal Northern Sinfonia and Scottish Chamber Orchestra), Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde ‘Neath billowing clouds that scatter and amass. This harp still makes my name its voluntary.’ (Mizmorim Festival), Beethoven’s Mass in C Major (Philharmonia), Haydn’s Nelson Mass All round our nest, far as the eye can pass, (Britten Sinfonia in Spain and the Netherlands), Bach’s Magnificat (Britten Sinfonia and Are golden kingcup fields with silver edge Choir of King’s College Cambridge), Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius at St John’s Smith Square and Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall. Her frequent hedge. performances with four of the BBC orchestras include De Falla’s The Three Cornered Hat, ‘Tis visible silence, still as the hour glass. recordings of Ravel’s Sheherezade, Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne and songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter.

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RODERICK WILLIAMS Roderick Williams is one of the most sought after baritones of his generation. He performs appearance and Gustav Holst accompanied some of his own songs on the piano – several a wide repertoire from baroque to contemporary music, in the opera house, on the concert of which appear on ALBCD038 Time and Space. Many newspaper critics were present and platform and is in demand as a recitalist worldwide. He enjoys relationships with all the their reaction to The House of Life was mixed. The Globe’s opinion is representative of those major UK opera houses and has sung opera world premieres by David Sawer, Sally that have stood the test of time: ‘It is proverbially difficult to set a sonnet to music, but Mr. Beamish, Michael van der Aa, Robert Saxton and Alexander Knaifel. Recent and future Vaughan Williams has succeeded where many others have failed. His music is strong, engagements include the title role in Eugene Onegin for Garsington, the title role in Billy melodious, and original, and it is both beautiful in itself and admirable as a musical Budd with Opera North, Papageno for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and expression of the feeling of the words. Silent Noon, Death in Love, and Love’s Last Gift are, productions with Dallas Opera, English National Opera and Netherlands Opera. perhaps, the three best songs of an excellent set’. He sings regularly with all the BBC orchestras and all the major UK Some of the sonnets (especially numbers orchestras, as well as the Berlin Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie- 3 and 4 below) are clearly addressed to a Orchester Berlin, Russian National Orchestra, Orchestre female beloved. Vaughan Williams was not Philharmonique de Radio France, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, troubled by this when he organised that Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Cincinnati Symphony, 1904 first performance for the contralto Music of the Baroque Chicago, New York Philharmonic and Bach Edith Clegg – and we should be equally Collegium Japan amongst others. His many festival appearances include comfortable in our more broad-minded the BBC Proms (including the Last Night in 2014), Edinburgh, age; so it is astonishing that the nine Cheltenham, Bath, Aldeburgh and Melbourne festivals. complete cycles that exist in digital form Roderick Williams has an extensive discography. His numerous today are by men variously described as recordings include Vaughan Williams, Berkeley and Britten operas for tenors, baritones and bass-baritones. This Chandos and an extensive repertoire of English song with pianist Iain recording begins to restore the balance. Burnside for both Naxos and Albion Records. He is a composer and has had works premiered at Wigmore and Barbican halls, the Purcell Room and live on national radio. In December 2016 he won the prize for best choral composition at the British Composer Awards. In 2015 he started a three year odyssey of the Schubert song cycles culminating in performances at Wigmore Hall in the 17/18 season and is now in the process of recording them for Chandos. He was Artistic Director of Leeds Lieder in April 2016 and won the RPS Singer of the Year award in May 2016. He was awarded an OBE in June 2017.

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WILLIAM VANN Gramophone, reviewing Purer than Pearl, Albion Records’ 2016 disc of Vaughan Williams song, reserved ‘a special word of praise for William Vann’s deft pianism’. A multiple-prize Rossetti’s 1881 collection of 100 sonnets, ‘The House of Life’: Willow-Wood, an ambitious winning accompanist and conductor, William performs with a host of major singers and work setting four sonnets for a singer with orchestra, begun in 1900, and The House of Life instrumentalists across the world. with piano accompaniment, setting six sonnets, probably in 1903. The second song, Silent Born in Bedford, he was a Chorister at King’s College, Cambridge and a Music Scholar at Noon, was published separately ahead of the full cycle’s appearance in 1904. Its conclusion Bedford School. He read law and took up a choral scholarship at Gonville and Caius celebrates The Song of Love, from which we drew the title for this recording. College, Cambridge, where he was taught the piano by Peter Uppard, and studied piano Vaughan Williams chose the poems with care, setting numbers 4, 19, 9, 22, 48 and 59 from accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music with Malcolm Martineau and Colin Stone. Rossetti’s collection. Love-Sight has a romantic melody, developed in a postlude on the He has been awarded many prizes for piano accompaniment, including the Wigmore Song piano. The setting for the words ‘death’s imperishable wing’ reminds us that work on A Sea Competition Jean Meikle Prize for a Duo (with Johnny Herford), the Gerald Moore award, Symphony also began as early as 1903. Silent Noon was premièred by Francis Harford (bass) the Royal Overseas League Accompanists’ Award, a Geoffrey Parsons Memorial Trust award, and Philip Agnew (piano) on 10 March 1903. On that occasion The Times reported the Concordia-Serena Nevill Prize, the Association of English Singers and Speakers ‘passages of sheer beauty’ – a verdict which stands fast to the present day when this song Accompanist Prize, the Great Elm Awards Accompanist Prize, the remains very popular with singers and audiences. Michael Kennedy describes it as Sir Henry Richardson Scholarship and the Hodgson Fellowship at ‘complete in itself ... one of the first pieces of music by Vaughan Williams which captures a the RAM. moment of eternity and holds it in musical terms for perpetual contemplation.’ Love’s William has collaborated on stage and recording with a vast array of Minstrels was Vaughan Williams’s new title for Rossetti’s ‘Passion and Worship’, thus moving singers, instrumentalists and orchestras. His discography includes the emphasis from stages in love-making to its musical representation. Heart’s Haven has recordings with Albion, Champs Hill, Chandos, Delphian, Navona dramatic music which is suggestive of the operas to come much later. Death in Love has and SOMM. nobilmente passages (lines 4 and 8) and almost orchestral piano writing. Love’s Last Gift begins with a reference to the tune Sine Nomine (For all the Saints) which recurs often in He is a Trustee of The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society, an Associate RVW’s music, all the way to The Pilgrim’s Progress in his final decade. of the RAM, a Samling Artist, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, the Co-Chairman of Kensington and On 2 December 1904 Vaughan Williams arranged a concert of his own works in the Chelsea Music Society, the Artistic Director of Bedford Music Bechstein Hall (now Wigmore Hall), London – which must have been a wonderful Club, a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a conductor occasion. Edith Clegg, contralto, gave the first performance of The House of Life and vocal coach at the Oxenfoord International Summer School. accompanied by Hamilton Harty on the piano. Walter Creighton, baritone, gave the first He is also the Director of Music at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea and performance of the first eight Songs of Travel. Beatrice Spencer and Foxton Ferguson gave the founder and Artistic Director of the London English Song Festival. On 3rd April 2019 the second performance of the two Whitman duets (see ALBCD029 Purer than Pearl), he made his Royal Festival Hall debut conducting Hubert Parry’s long-neglected oratorio with Harriett Solly on the violin. The 1903 setting of Orpheus and his Lute made its first Judith, which he has also recorded for Chandos Records.

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Production credits Albion recordings generally include world premières and this collection of songs and duets Musical Director: William Vann by Ralph Vaughan Williams is no exception. It begins with the first complete ‘female’ Executive Producer, booklet notes and photography: John Francis recording of the song cycle The House of Life and continues with sixteen previously Producer: Andrew Walton of K & A Productions unrecorded works. We have grouped them so as to offer a varied and enjoyable recital by Engineer: Deborah Spanton of K & A Productions Kitty Whately and Roderick Williams, accompanied by William Vann. Scores editor: Peter Clulow Musical assistant: Lilly Papaioannou Several of the poems set to music in this album include images that have endured, to some Recorded at Potton Hall, Suffolk, from 27 November to 1 December 2018 extent together, over many centuries – the nightingale, the rose, the lily and the violet. A Cover image: Nightingale of Light by Nancy Moniz, 2012 Persian myth associates the nightingale with the rose and thorn, against which it presses its Graphic design: S L Chai (Colour Blind Design) breast in unrequited love for the flower. The rose is associated with female sexuality, with Proof reading: Martin Murray, Werner Bachman Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail; the lily was linked to the Virgin Mary by the and several others. Venerable Bede as early as the 7th Century. St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1154) linked the three flowers in describing Our Lady as ‘the violet of humility, the lily of chastity and the rose of purity’. The poems include three references to the nightingale. This much mythologised bird belongs to an ancient literary and poetic tradition with two streams, one expressing With special thanks melancholy (particularly in Homer’s ‘Odyssey’, personified as Philomela, a myth frequently Principal Sponsor and Gold Supporters: drawn upon by Shakespeare) and the other joy – and the poems in this recording are The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust, Chris and Adie Batt, Simon Coombs, concerned with joy. Sappho (c.630-c.570 BC) wrote of ‘the messager of spring, the sweet John and Sharon Francis, Julian Ochrymowych, David Trimble. voiced nightingale.’ This positive view was taken up by the troubadours, as we shall see, Silver supporters: and continued to influence poetry up to Milton and the 19th century romantic poets. Keith Anderson, Graham Aslet, Neil Bettridge, Eric Birznieks and Carol Dean, David Bryan, Even Oscar Wilde wrote a story joining the rose and the nightingale. Accordingly, we Rodney Gavin Bullock, Caitlin and John Cassidy, Harold G Corwin, Allan Coughlin, Martin chose a nightingale for a cover image, and as a symbol of the nightingale’s song – surely, Cunningham, Anne Curry, Marcus DeLoach, Leonard Evans, Robert Field, Michael J Gainsford, The Song of Love. Alan Gillmor, Michael Godbee, Ronald Grames, Nigel Green, William Greenwood, Richard Hall, The House of Life (1903-1904) Jay Hicks, Andrew Keener, Tony Kitson, James Korner, Christian Körner, Trevor Lockwood, At this early period of Vaughan Williams’s career, the Pre-Raphaelite poets were a source John and Janet Manning, Barry Menhenett, William Moreing, Martin Murray, Andrew Neill, Charles Paterson, Julian Pearcey, Edward Reisman, Thomas Render, Tony Richardson, Philip Robson, of inspiration, possibly encouraged by his friendship with Grainger and other members of David Sawyer, Kevin Schutts, Brian Sturtridge, Dr Colin C Tinline, John and Muriel Treadway, the Frankfurt Group. Vaughan Williams made two song cycles from Dante Gabriel Steven K White, James C. Williams.

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About Albion Records Directors: John Francis FCA (Chairman), Mark Hammett Fulfilment: Mark and Sue Hammett Web-Master: Tad Kasa Since its formation in 1994, The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society – a registered charity with around 1,000 members worldwide – has sought to raise the profile of the composer through 16 The Willow Song (1897) 4’12 publications, seminars and sponsorship of recordings. The Society’s recording label, Albion Records, was formed in 2007 and is devoted to Three Songs from Shakespeare (1925) recordings of works by Vaughan Williams. Each recording contains at least one world première 17 Take, O Take, Those Lips Away 0’53 recording. Two recordings (The Solent and Discoveries) were nominated for a Grammy award, 18 When Icicles Hang by the Wall 1’18 and many recordings have spent some weeks in the UK’s specialist classical chart. 19 Orpheus with his Lute 1’24 20 The Spanish Ladies (1912) 2’40

21 The Turtle Dove (1919-1934) 2’59 Two Poems by Seumas O’Sullivan (1925) 22 Twilight People 2’39 23 A Piper 0’44 Duets (1903) ALBCD002 ALBCD029 ALBCD038 24 Think of Me 1’51 Kissing her hair Purer than Pearl Time and Space 25 Adieu 1’40 Vaughan Williams Vaughan Williams Holst and Vaughan songs songs and duets Williams songs 68’52 Sarah Fox, Andrew Staples, Mary Bevan, Jennifer Mary Bevan, Roderick Roderick Williams and Iain Johnston, Nicky Spence, Williams, Jack Liebeck and Kitty Whately ~ mezzo-soprano (tracks 1-6, 16-19, 24-25) Burnside Johnny Herford, Thomas William Vann Roderick Williams ~ baritone (tracks 7-15, 20-25) Gould, William Vann William Vann ~ piano For further information visit: Tracks 11-14, 16, 20 and 21 are arrangements of older melodies by Vaughan Williams. www.rvwsociety.com/albionrecords The remaining tracks are original compositions by him.

Tracks 7-14 and 16-23 are first modern recordings in these arrangements Join The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society at www.rvwsociety.com (Steuart Wilson recorded The Spanish Ladies on a 78 rpm disc).

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THE SONG LOVE

Ralph Vaughan Williams 1872-1958

The House of Life (1903-1904) 1 Love-Sight 4’42 2 Silent Noon 3’38 3 Love’s Minstrels 4’44 4 Heart’s Haven 3’23 5 Death in Love 4’19 6 Love’s Last Gift 4’01 Three Old German Songs (1902) 7 Entlaubet ist der Walde 2’31 8 Wanderlied 2’39 9 Der Morgenstern 1’30 Peter Clulow, Roderick Williams, Deborah Spanton, Andrew Walton, Kitty Whately, William Vann, John Francis 10 To Daffodils (Gunby Hall setting, c. 1903) 3’39 French songs (1903-1904) 11 Quant li Louseignolz (Quand le Rossignol) 1’47 12 L’amour de Moy 3’23 13 Jean Renaud 2’54 14 Le Psaume des batailles (Que Dieu Se Montre Seulement) 3’43 This recording is dedicated to the memory of 15 Buonaparty (1908) 1’39 Laura Coombs (1944-2018), a trustee of The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society and wife of its chairman, Simon Coombs.

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RALPH VAUGHAN Ralph Vaughan Williams ALBION RECORDS

WILLIAMS SOCIETY Bull ©Peter Photograph Dedicated to widening the knowledge, understanding and THE SONG LOVE appreciation of Ralph Vaughan Williams

President SIR ANDREW DAVIS CBE Vice Presidents STEPHEN CONNOCK MBE, DR JOYCE KENNEDY Chairman SIMON COOMBS

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Mark Hammett (Membership Secretary) 27 Landsdowne Way, Bexhill-on-Sea, A GH N East Sussex, TN40 2UJ U W A I V Email: [email protected] L L H

I A

www.rvwsociety.com P

M Kitty Whately mezzo-soprano L

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Registered Charity no: 1156614 S R Roderick Williams baritone S O C I E T Y William Vann piano

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