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Home , Bernard Haitink, Heather Harper, Our Hunting Fathers

1857 – 1934 01 15:24 Introduction and Allegro for string quartet and string orchestra, Op.47 (1904 – 1905) 1913 – 1976 27:28 Op.8 (1936) (Words by W.H. Auden) 02 2:16 Prologue 03 4:10 Rats Away! 04 6:35 Messalina 05 6:28 Dance of Death 06 7:58 Epilogue and Funeral March ELGAR EDWARD ELGAR 1857 – 1934 32:08 Variations on an Original Theme, ‘Enigma’, for orchestra Op.36 (1898 – 1899) INTRODUCTION AND ALLEGRO 07 1:27 1a Theme 08 1:53 1b CAE 09 0:47 HDS-P 10 1:28 RBT BRITTEN 11 0:32 WMB OUR HUNTING FATHERS 12 2:03 RPA 13 1:28 Ysobel 14 0:58 Troyte 15 2:01 WN soprano 16 4:13 Nimrod conductor 17 2:43 Dorabella PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 18 0:59 GRS 19 2:44 BGN 20 3:06 *** 21 5:39 EDU

HEATHER HARPER soprano BERNARD HAITINK conductor LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA David Nolan leader LPO – 0002 ELGAR Introduction and Allegro and Variations on an Original Theme ‘Enigma’ BRITTEN Our Hunting Fathers

Elgar represented the Victorians’ dream come The fourteen variations are mostly short Far from being a glorification of hunting for it is the soprano who expresses the mood. true: at last an English composer to rival the and descriptive of some of his friends’ pleasure, Britten composed a celebration A tired ‘Whurret’ is heard followed by the names Germans. But Elgar can also be viewed as a characteristics and mannerisms, such as the of the act of hunting in all its gory glory. of some of the dogs who come to receive praise historical figure and his music as evidence of laughter of Winifred Norbury in the eighth Commissioned by Norfolk and Norwich from the hunter. Finally comes the victory the mood of his times. Born into a middle class variation and the attractive stammer of Dora Triennial Festival in 1936, it was Britten’s first flight of the hawk on the last high ‘Whurret’. family in the music business, he grew up in Penny in the tenth. The ninth, Nimrod, the large work for orchestra and remains one As it makes its soft landing on the hunter’s musical surroundings, even playing the violin longest and best known of the variations, of his most creative, savage and tender as glove, the orchestra imitates the soprano and in the orchestra at the Three Choirs Festival. represents a discussion about Beethoven well as more difficult pieces to perform. closes the song. The final movement is also between Elgar and his publisher, Alfred Jaeger. Hence its relatively rare appearances on the an Epilogue in the form of a recitative as in the Elgar’s music is full of the confidence of the The eleventh variation portrays George Sinclair, concert platform. beginning. Quietly, like an animal integrating prevailing mood of the time. The Introduction organist of Hereford Cathedral, and in into the thickest forest, the music loses itself and Allegro, composed in 1905, is a delightfully particular his bulldog, Dan, as the dog falls After the ominous minor chord of the opening, among the foliage. pastoral string work, unusually scored for into the river Wye. W.H. Auden’s poem serves as a dark Prologue, string quartet and orchestra which are full of premonitions in the text, wonderfully Eduardo Benarroch combined and contrasted in the manner The initials on Elgar’s original sketch and the scored for voice in the form of recitative. of the concerto grosso. presence of a quote from Mendelssohn’s Calm In Rats away! the soprano seems to try to sea and prosperous voyage in the thirteenth dodge the rats coming at her from every The Variations on an Original Theme is arguably variation, seemed to indicate that it was direction as she prays for salvation before Elgar’s most often played work. In each dedicated to Lady Mary Lygon, a friend who exclaiming a rather relieved ‘Amen!’at the movement Elgar depicted an unnamed friend was about to sail to Australia. On the final end. Messalina is the name of a small child but, from the initials given and other clues, score, however, the initials were replaced by who has lost her pet monkey. A beautiful we have been able to identify most of the three asterisks and it has been suggested and tender vocal line provides a welcome people involved. However, although the that it could be dedicated to Helen Weaver, to respite after dealing with the disgusting rats. ‘enigma’ of the theme has been the subject whom Elgar had once been engaged but who Thomas Ravenscroft’s Dance of Death, its of much speculation, no definitive answer has later emigrated to New Zealand. There is no fourth movement, depicts a hunt with dogs been found. Premièred by Hans Richter in doubt that, enigma or not, Elgar succeeded and hawks, all called by their individual names 1899 at St James’s Hall in London, the Enigma in creating a work of music which can stand by the soprano who guides them, coaxes them Variations is typical of Elgar’s music – a mixture shoulder to shoulder with the best orchestral and sets them up for their prey. The jolly march of strength and sentimentality with beautiful works of its time. which sets the party on its way leads into the tunes and great dollops of brass. sudden wild chase. At the end of the chase PROLOGUE RATS AWAY!

I command all the rats that are hereabout That none dwell in this place, within or without: Through the virtue of Jesus that Mary bore, Whom all creatures must ever adore; They are our past and our future; the poles between which our desire And through the virtue of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, unceasingly is discharged. All four Archangels that are as one; A desire in which love and hatred so perfectly oppose themselves, Through the virtue of Saint Gertrude, that maid clean, that we cannot voluntarily move, but await the extraordinary compulsion God grant in grace of the deluge and the earthquake. That no rats dwell in the place Their finish has inspired the limits of all arts and ascetic movements. That these names were uttered in; Their affections and indifferences have been a guide to all reformers And through the virtue of Saint Kasi, and tyrants. That holy man who prayed to God Almighty Their appearances in our dreams of machinery have brought a vision Of the scathes they did of nude and fabulous epochs. His meadows amid O pride so hostile to our charity. By day and by night. But what their pride has retained we may by charity more generously God bid them flee and go out of every man’s sight. recover. Dominus, Deus, Sabaoth, Emmanuel, great name of God, Deliver this place from rats and from all other shame. God save this place from all other wicked wights Both by days and by nights. Et in Nomine Patris et Filii et Sancti Spiriti, Amen.

W.H. Auden (1907 – 1973) Anon., modernised by W.H. Auden MESSALINA DANCEOFDEATH (Hawking for the Partridge)

Whurret! Duty Beauty Quando Timble Travel Trover Jew Damsel Hey dogs hey! Ware haunt hey! Sith sickles and the shearing scythe Hath shorn the fields of late, Ay me, alas, heigh ho, heigh ho! Now shall our hawks and we be blithe, Thus doth Messalina go Dame Partridge ware your pate! Up and down the house a-crying, Our murdering kites For her monkey lies a-dying. In all their flights Death, thou art too cruel Will seld or never miss To bereave her of her jewel; To truss you ever and make your bale our bliss. Or to make a seizure Whurret! Wanton Sugar Mistress Of her only treasure. Sempster Faver Minx If her monkey die Callis Dover Sant She will sit and cry: Dancer Jerker Quoy Fie, fie, fie, fie, fie! Whurret! Tricker Crafty Minion Dido Civil Lemmon Cherry Carver Courtier Stately Ruler German let fly! O well flown, eager kite, mark! We falconers thus make sullen kites Yield pleasure fit for kings, And sport with them in those delights, And oft in other things.

Anon. Thomas Ravenscroft (c.1592 – 1635) EPILOGUE

Our hunting fathers told the story Of the sadness of the creatures, Pitied the limits and the lack Set in their finished features; Saw in the lion’s intolerant look, Behind the quarry’s dying glare, Love raging for the personal glory That reason’s gift would add, The liberal appetite and power, The rightness of a god.

Who nurtured in that fine tradition Predicted the result, Guessed love by nature suited to The intricate ways of guilt; That human company could so His southern gestures modify And make it his mature ambition To think no thought but ours, To hunger, work illegally, And be anonymous?

W.H. Auden Reproduced with permission of Curtis Brown Group Ltd., London On behalf of the Estate of W.H. Auden The London Philharmonic Orchestra © W.H. Auden 1934 with Bernard Haitink Stuart Robinson and Don Carlos with The Royal No other British singer ever covered as has been the Orchestra’s Principal ; , Così fan tutte and Figaro much repertoire and at such a high level of Conductor since September 2000, extending with Glyndebourne; and the complete Ring performance as she did. A Strauss specialist, the line of distinguished conductors who have cycle with the Bayerische Rundfunk. Those she sang roles ranging from The Empress held positions with the Orchestra since its with the London Philharmonic Orchestra have in Strauss’s and Elsa foundation in 1932 by Sir . included works by Shostakovich, Stravinsky, in Wagner’s , with which she made These have included Sir , Sir John

A3 Studios Elgar and Vaughan Williams. her debut at the , to a gutsy Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir , Countess in Mozart’s and Franz Welser-Möst. BERNARD HAITINK conductor Bernard Haitink has received many awards, at New York’s . She also was appointed the most notably an Honorary KBE in 1977, the championed modern music and many notable Orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor in Bernard Haitink has enjoyed a long and Erasmus Prize in 1991, a House Order of composers dedicated pieces to her. Michael March 2003. distinguished career as an orchestral and Orange-Nassau in 1999 and the Companion Tippett wrote the role of Nadia in his last operatic conductor. Amongst the major of Honour in 2002. opera, The Icebreak, for her, and the solo The London Philharmonic Orchestra has been positions he has held are Chief Conductor soprano part in his third symphony. It is her resident symphony orchestra at the Royal and latterly Honorary Conductor of the Royal close association with Britten however, which Festival Hall since 1992 and there it presents Concertgebouw Orchestra, Principal Conductor will be remembered most warmly in this its main series of concerts between September of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, country, as she was a member of the trusted and May each year. In summer, the Orchestra Music Director of the European Union Youth small group of singers who worked regularly moves to Sussex where it has been the resident Orchestra, Chief Conductor and Music Director at the Aldeburgh Festival. symphony orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival of the Sächsische , Opera for over 40 years. The Orchestra also Music Director of Glyndebourne Festival Barda Clive LONDON performs at venues around the UK and has Opera and Music Director of The Royal PHILHARMONIC made numerous tours to America, Europe and Opera, Covent Garden. HEATHER HARPER soprano Japan, and visited India, Hong Kong, China, ORCHESTRA Australia and South Africa. He is also a regular guest with the world’s Although she shot to worldwide attention The London Philharmonic Orchestra has long leading orchestras and opera companies, and in 1962 taking the soprano part in the world established a high reputation for its versatility his discography includes some of the finest première of Britten’s War at two and artistic excellence. These are evident from recordings in the world. His CDs of the weeks’ notice, Heather Harper had already its performances in the concert hall and opera symphonies of Mahler, Bruckner and Beethoven been known to television audiences for her house, its many award-winning recordings, with the Concertgebouw, and of Brahms and polished Traviata broadcast by the BBC. She its trail-blazing international tours and its Bruckner with the have sang much opera, but never neglected her pioneering education work. been widely acclaimed. Equally renowned are concert work, on which she concentrated with his opera recordings which have included fierce intensity and exceptional musicianship.