SWANSONG t On the River D. 943 (Ludwig Rellstab) [8.59] FRANZ SCHUBERT’S SCHWANENGESANG D. 957, AUF DEM STROM D. 943 & DER HIRT AUF DEM FELSEN D. 965 y The Shepherd on the Rock, D. 965 (Wilhelm Müller / Varnhagen von Ense) [11.07]

IN ENGLISH VERSIONS BY JEREMY SAMS Total timings: [72.43]

Swan Song SOPHIE BEVAN SOPRANO • JULIAN BLISS CLARINET Poems by Ludwig Rellstab ALEC FRANK-GEMMILL HORN • CHRISTOPHER GLYNN PIANO 1 Love Message [2.59] 2 The Warrior’s Foreboding [5.30] www.signumrecords.com 3 Longing for Spring [3.47] 4 Serenade [3.48] 5 My Home [3.28] Schubert’s Late Songs shepherd and a restless sea-voyager – are 6 Far Away [5.20] depicted in longer works, also from 1828, where 7 Leave-taking [4.31] Loneliness and longing fill the songs of Schubert’s a solo instrument partners the voice. Right up last year. Between the completion of Winter until the end, it seems, Schubert was experimenting Poems by Heinrich Heine Journey in October 1827 and his death, aged with new ways to tell stories in song. And 8 Atlas [2.20] 31, in November 1828, he turned to two new storytelling is to the fore in the new translations 9 Her Picture [3.01] poets, Ludwig Rellstab and Heinrich Heine, by Jeremy Sams performed here, which recreate 0 The Fisher Maiden [2.11] with a set of songs apiece. After the composer’s the directness and immediacy of the poetry that q The Town [3.08] death, they were gathered together by the inspired Schubert for English-speaking listeners. w By the Sea [4.30] publisher Tobias Haslinger, who issued them, e Doppelgänger [4.09] along with a little epilogue (and a canny Schubert had been a torch-bearer at Beethoven’s Poem by Johann Gabriel Seidl sense of what would sell), as Franz Schubert’s funeral in 1827 and we can sense, even at r Pigeon Post [3.54] Swansong. If Winter Journey has the richness this distance, how his death both grieved and of a novel told in song, then Swansong is more liberated the younger composer. His most like a collection of short stories. Fourteen public tribute came with a setting of On the very different characters come in and out River, one of a bundle of poems the writer Ludwig SIR JOHN TOMLINSON BASS CHRISTOPHER GLYNN PIANO of focus, with little in common except their Rellstab had sent to Beethoven, who in turn left aloneness. Two other solitary figures – a lovelorn them in his estate to Schubert. It’s a poem of www.signumrecords.com - 3 - farewell – and Schubert didn’t miss the chance Heinrich Heine may have been two years older from the scherzos and finales of Schubert’s A Translator’s Note to pay homage to the composer that Vienna was than Ludwig Rellstab but he belonged to the late instrumental works, which often seem to still mourning, ennobling the song with a solo future, used fewer words, and made them mean recall happiness, even jollity, in the midst of Schubert’s Swansong, though not itself a cycle, horn part that at one point quotes the funeral more. His lyrics are simple and artless on the desolation. The loyal bird, we learn in the is a logical extension of Die Schöne Müllerin and march from the Eroica symphony, and making surface but spiked with wit, cynicism and irony. last line, is called ‘Longing’ but there is no Winterreise. Here again are the brooks and the it the centrepiece of a concert held on the first And Schubert, too, sharpens his style. In Atlas, hint of self-pity in the music and Swansong birds, the jilted suitors leaving town, the lovers anniversary of Beethoven’s death. the wretched Titan of Greek mythology has never closes in generous and companionable mood. looking at or into the beloved’s house. Loss and seemed more human, railing against his fate longing are everywhere. But if Schöne Müllerin Seven other Rellstab settings form the first in music that (as we now see it) touches the Here, perhaps, is Schubert’s antidote to Heine’s is about hope (finding someone to love) and half of Swansong and find Schubert at his most worlds of Wagner and Verdi. The gloom is carried despair, as well as his own. It’s heard in the Winterreise is about despair (leaving someone illustrative and assured. The brook that ripples over into Her Picture, which expresses a depth of song-cantata The Shepherd on the Rock too. A loved), Schwanengesang is about resignation. throughout Love’s Message is depicted as sorrow that makes a stark contrast to the easy clarinet melody sets the scene; we are on top of The beloved is not by your side and one can vividly as a soldier’s shifting moods in the eve-of- charm on display in The Fisher Maiden. Two a mountain with a broken-hearted shepherd. deal with that in different ways. By sending battle scene Warrior’s Foreboding. The propulsive more seascapes (from a composer who never The clarinet mourns alongside him as he messages via rivers, trees or even pigeons. By energy of Longing for Spring builds a tender saw the sea) follow, one hypnotic and obsessive, sings out his pain. But grief finally turns to flight, by self-imposed exile, by dreaming of excitement, punctuated by fleeting moments the other grief-stricken and embittered. And hope, as quickly as a change in the Alpine what might have been and by accepting what of doubt, before finally giving way to the most then Schubert’s bleakest and most traumatic weather. ‘Springtime is coming’ the shepherd never will. The distant or absent beloved is famous tune Schubert ever wrote in Serenade. song, Doppelgänger, looks death in the eye, only sings, ‘and I must be ready to journey again’. present in almost every song, and though there Other songs portray various incarnations of to find it staring back, mocking all human suffering. Schubert always was a shapeshifter, but is no journey involved as in the previous cycles, the archetypal romantic Wanderer, living on never more so than in his last and greatest there is a unity in this collection which shows the margins of society. Defiance and dignity The final, unexpectedly major chord of year. The music seems only more remarkable one where Schubert’s thoughts were. He knew he mingle with a torrent of emotion in My Home. The Doppelgänger is a mystery. If we hear in it a when we notice that the manuscript is dated was going to die and die alone. curse of ‘bittersweet memories’ haunts In the hint of ‘All shall be well’ – a benediction from October 1828. Schubert was by then standing Distance. Most exhilarating of all is the Schubert not present in Heine – then it is on a precipice of his own, cared for by his I’m glad, though, that I translated them in perpetual motion of Goodbye, a riding song, echoed in the hopeful, humble-spirited epilogue brother Ferdinand, battling typhus and tertiary the order in which they were written. For here, where the horse finally trots out of sight after six that follows. Johann Seidl was no Heine, but syphilis, and surely knowing he would not see suddenly, one comes across a major challenge. verses to clear the stage for a very different poet. his poem about a homing pigeon inspired a another spring. A Great Poet, Heinrich Heine, before whom the song that is, in its way, just as much of a mere versifier should genuflect. But of course, miracle as Dopplegänger. The effect is familiar © Christopher Glynn Schubert does nothing of the sort. He draws

- 4 - - 5 - from Heine what he needs, just as he does from SWANSONG 2 The Warrior’s Foreboding Yes. Rellstab in this collection and Müller in the Kriegers Ahnung Only you can keep me strong others. And what he gets from Heine one can 1 Love Message Only you can keep me strong hear in the music. Monolithic, massive, Beethoven Liesbesbotschaft In twos and threes My life’s the life I chose and beyond. A glimpse of what might have Beside the fire Ill close my eyes and sleep erelong been but could never have been. Beautiful mill-stream so wild and so free My comrades try to sleep Tomorrow? No-one knows. © Jeremy Sams Send my beloved a message from me Tomorrow ? No-one knows. And when you speak to her later today I’m kept awake by pain and fear Send her my love from a long way away By pain and fear 3 Longing For Spring And longing strong and deep Frühlingssehnsucht Water to the bluebells she grows with such care They look so lovely entwined in her hair I’ve only known one fireside Tenderly whispering leaves in the trees Moisten the roses, the ones she loves best Where I could truly rest Beautiful perfumes borne on the breeze See how she clutches them close to her breast. My best beloved in my arms A delicate message from everywhere Water the roses, the ones she loves best My head upon her breast The wonderful promise of spring in the air Look how she clutches them close to her breast. Wherever you lead me I’ll follow you there Here all I see is swords and spears Wherever you lead me I’ll follow you there Lit by the embers’ gleam When she is lonely she sighs by the stream But where, yes where? I see that life’s a vale of tears Dreaming of me in a secret dream I see that life’s a vale of tears Sweeten her sorrow and sing her your song Beautiful millstream bubbling along And love’s an empty dream Tell her that I will be with her erelong Leading me on with your siren song Yes love’s an empty dream What wonderful place are you hurrying to Then when the evening has turned to red No. Some magical sea made of silver and blue? Sing her a love song to take to bed Only you can keep me strong You’re telling me I should be following you Then when the sun’s sitting low in the sky Only you can keep me strong You’re telling me I should be following you Sing my beloved a lullaby My life’s the life I chose Where to, where to? Sing my beloved a lullaby Ill close my eyes and sleep erelong Tomorrow? No-one knows. Glittering sunshine Tomorrow ? No-one knows. First of the year

- 6 - - 7 - Now I am certain that springtime is near 4 Serenade Make my heart complete My endless torment Glittering sunshine Ständchen Make my heart complete Lasts for evermore First of the year My endless pain will last evermore Now I am certain springtime is near Softly flowing softly through the moonlight 5 My Home You greet me so sweetly from way on high Here’s my song for you Aufenthalt Waters that race You’re smiling seductively up in the sky If you hear its magic music Rivers that foam I’m gazing upon you, a tear in my eye You must feel it too Waters that race This is the place I’m gazing upon you, a tear in my eye See the treetops sigh to you Rivers that foam I call my home But why, yes why? They’re whispering as they sway This is the place Towering cliffs Whispering as they sway I call my home Timeless and strong Green buds are bursting from every tree They would hardly lie to you Towering cliffs This is the land, Snowdrops as far as the eye can see So hearken to what they say Timeless and strong Where I belong With crocuses bursting in yellow and blue Hearken to what they say This is the land, As if Mother Nature had told them to Where I belong 6 Far Away They’ve all found their purpose, their reason to be Nightingales are singing sweetly In der Ferne They’ve all found their purpose, their reason to be Can’t you hear their plea? Just as a wave follows every wave But what of me? Offer up your love completely My endless weeping will last till the grave Cursed is my destiny Offer it to me Weeping on weeping Bitter, my agony Mind full of torment Will last, will last till the grave Wandering aimlessly Heart full of pain They know how a soul can suffer Weeping on weeping will last till the grave To lands unknown to me Endlessly yearning They know joy and pain Far from my family Yearning in vain They know joy and pain Just like the ceaseless wind in the trees Everyone dear to me. I know all the promise, the heartbreak of spring Even when a heart is broken There’s no reprieve for my miseries Look at what’s left for me I know the impossible dreams it can bring Love can live again Just like the ceaseless wind in the trees Heartbreak and misery And you can make all those dreams come true Love can live again There’s no reprieve for my miseries Heartbreak and misery! Yes you can make all those dreams come true There’s no reprieve for my miseries Just you Listen to the magic music Sighing so bitterly Just you. Soft and slow and sweet And like the mountain’s unchanging core Weeping unceasingly Telling us we should be together My endless pain will last evermore Sometimes my agony

- 8 - - 9 - Seems far too strong for me 7 Leave-taking You wave from your doors as I’m cantering by Farewell Pounding unstoppably Abschied I see that familiar gleam in your eye You myriad stars in the sky Deep in the heart of me I’d normally linger and share a hello Farewell Even the stars I see Farewell But that was then, now it’s time to go That light in her window’s so tempting, so sweet Laugh at my misery You wonderful ramshackle town Farewell Your shimmering firmament can hardly compete Laugh at my misery Farewell Adorable girls from the town But I need to escape here, I have to be free My lively young filly is pounding the ground Farewell So even your friendship is useless to me. Sometimes I hear the breeze But maybe there’s time for a last look around Yes even your friendship is useless to me. Brushing the poplar trees This cheerful old town hasn’t once seen me cry Farewell Farewell Even the thought of these So best not to start when I’m saying goodbye. And farewell to the sun as it sets You myriad stars in the sky Heavenly harmonies Farewell Farewell Farewell Can’t set my heart at ease You wonderful ramshackle town And winking like diamonds the stars appear Deepen my miseries Farewell It’s always a comfort to know that they’re near 8 Atlas How can I live with these Wherever I wander, wherever I go Der Atlas Bittersweet memories? Farewell My stars are the truest companions I know. You beautiful flowers and trees Farewell I live my life like Atlas Sometimes I hear the breeze Farewell And farewell to the sun as it sets Like poor benighted Atlas. Brushing the poplar trees I’m trotting along by the silvery stream Farewell With the woes, the woes of all creation Even the thought of these Where lovers forgather to hope and to dream on my shoulders Can’t set my heart at ease… They wouldn’t want weeping to ruin their day Farewell With all the world on my shoulders Heavenly harmonies So I’ll have to wait till I’m far far away You light at the window farewell Deepen my miseries. Yes I’ll have to wait till I’m far far away Farewell Endure the unendurable How can I live with these Farewell From deep in the darkness you shimmer and shine Your heart is certain to break inside you Bittersweet memories? You beautiful flowers and trees A hint of the magic that might have been mine Farewell I’ve stood and I’ve gazed at you time and again You foolish heart I may return here, but God knows when. Demanding far too much Farewell Farewell You wanted happiness Adorable girls from the town You light at the window farewell To last forever Farewell Farewell Or even endless sorrow

- 10 - - 11 - To last forever 0 The Fisher Maiden q The Town And streaming down your lovely face Your reward is pain that lasts forever Das Fischermädchen Die Stadt Tears upon tears were falling

I live my life like Atlas You lovely fisher maiden Just there on the horizon, I watched them drop on your slender hand Like poor benighted Atlas. Row over here to land That misty, distant glow I knelt in shame before you With the woes, the woes of all creation We can sit and talk by the seashore All shimmering in the twilight I tried to kiss those tears away on my shoulders And you can take my hand The town I used to know To drink your sorrow for you With all the world on my shoulders We can sit and talk by the seashore The weight of all the world is on my shoulders And you can take my hand A ghostly breeze from nowhere But since that moment Yes you can take my hand Disturbed the slate-grey sea I’m wracked with such pain 9 Her Picture With each of my boatman’s oar-strokes All sleep has been denied me Ihr Bild You’ll lay your head on my shoulder The town came nearer to me That bitter woman’s bitter tears And gaze at the restless sea Are burning like poison inside me. I stood before her portrait You’ve steered through tide and tempest The sun I thought had vanished In silence and in pain. What can you fear from me? Suddenly shone once again e Doppelgänger And as I stood there dreaming. You steer through tide and tempest And lit the place precisely Der Doppelgänger She started living again. What can you fear from me? Where once I loved, loved in vain. Dark is the night Her lips began to fashion My heart is like the ocean w By The Sea The streets are deserted The smile that once was mine With wave and wind and tide Am Meer The house where my love lived And tinged with pain and passion And many secret treasures There, just like before… Her dark eyes began to shine Are lurking deep inside The final rays of the setting sun And many secret treasures Were glinting over the ocean It must be years now And as I gazed in wonder Are lurking deep inside We sat and we gazed on it side by side Since she was last here My tears began to flow Both lost in silent emotion And even more years I can’t believe that I lost you Since I stood by her door. So many years ago The mist came up The water swelled But there’s someone else The seagulls started calling Who stares at her window

- 12 - - 13 - He’s wracked with anguish She peeps at your window. I’m sure you know her too t ON THE RIVER In pain and in woe Nothing you do I’m sure you know her too Auf dem Strom Escapes her all-seeing eye How I shudder She passes on my love to you Yes that’s why I keep her There is no more time for kissing When, in a flash of moonlight Then brings me your reply Close to my breast It is late, and night is falling I see his face, it’s a face that I know. Eternally faithful and true There’s a restless river waiting I don’t need paper or pen or ink Her name is ‘longing’ And a distant shore is calling. You doppelgänger I don’t have to write a word Had you guessed? So pale and so haunted Why bother writing what you think Yes you guessed How I’d love to stay for longer How dare you mock my misery? When you’ve a faithful bird I’m sure you know her too But the river’s pull is stronger. How dare you suffer what I suffered? And I’ve a faithful bird. And that’s why she lives Still my yearning and my pain So many nights So deep in my breast Seem to draw me back again So long ago By night or day in sun or in rain Eternally faithful and true Seem to draw me back again Cheerfully on her way. Her name is ‘longing’ r Pigeon Post I’ve never heard her once complain Had you guessed? As the eager currents draw me, Die Taubenpost Nor does she mention pay Yes you guessed All our world is disappearing I’m sure you know her too Where is our enchanted clearing I have a pigeon who works for me She’s never tired, she’s never bored I know you know her too. Where you first appeared before me? Who carries my love to and fro Her efforts never end. Ah, where you first appeared before me. And by some instinct always knows Her labour brings its own reward. Precisely where to go That’s what I call a friend. I am left in desolation That’s what I call a friend. Quite bereft in desolation I send her with my messages So with lonely lamentation A hundred times every day And that’s why I keep her And with empty sighs I mourn. She knows exactly where you live Close to my breast So farewell the land where love was born. Though it is miles away Eternally faithful and true So many miles away Her name is ‘longing’ Now the shore is racing past me Had you guessed? Ever on in mazy motion Yes you guessed But a distant voice reminds me

- 14 - - 15 - Of my love and my devotion In the stars’ eternal grace Yet dark despair consumes my heart And though the valley’s nowhere near Of my love and my devotion There perhaps I’ll see your face The darkest I have known The echo’s ringing bright and clear For passion dies and lovers part The echo – the echo But the stream flows ever onwards y THE SHEPHERD ON And I am all alone. The echo’s ringing bright and clear Ever onwards drawing me THE ROCK And I am all alone. And though the valley’s nowhere near Ever onwards drawing me Der Hirt auf dem Felsen And that’s the song of thwarted love The echo – the echo To the vast and mighty sea The truly broken-hearted know The echo is ringing so bright and so clear To the vast and mighty sea When to the highest hill I go It rises up to heaven above I fill the valley far below Then falls to earth below. The valley is nowhere near To that distant waste of water With singing, with singing. It rises up to heaven above The echo is bright and clear To that desert, dark and friendless Then falls to earth below. With no sign of land, or comfort Then from a place too far to see And though the valley’s nowhere near Inhospitable and endless The music echoes back to me But springtime is coming The echo’s ringing bright and clear Filling me with fear and trembling The echo from the valley With sunshine and rain The echo is bright and clear. Fear and trembling seizing me So I must be ready And though the valley’s nowhere near To journey again. All texts translated by Jeremy Sams Tearful voices that beseech me The echo’s ringing bright and clear Yes I must be ready Are too far away to reach me The echo is singing To journey again. Storms are breaking wild and free Storms are breaking wild and free My love and I are far apart Yes springtime is coming On the dark and lonely sea. But I can hear her hear my heart With sunshine and with rain… On the dark and lonely sea. Love’s echo is ringing Yes springtime is coming With sunshine and rain Since no earthly voice brings solace And though the valley’s nowhere near And I must be ready To my meaningless existence The echo’s ringing bright and clear To journey again. Must I turn my gaze to the Heavens The echo is singing And the starlight in the distance? Was it not with stars above me, That I dared to hope you’d love me?

- 16 - - 17 - SIR JOHN TOMLINSON Knight in the world premiere of Harrison Don Alfonso Così fan tutte, Leporello, and title Birtwistle’s Gawain, Claggart Billy Budd, Doctor roles Le nozze di Figaro and Bluebeard’s Castle, John Tomlinson was born in Lancashire. He Wozzeck, Rocco Fidelio, King Philip and Grand Beethoven Choral Symphony, Messiah, Acis and gained a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering at Manchester Inquisitor Don Carlos, Sarastro Die Zauberflöte, Galatea and the Verdi Requiem. Videos include University before winning a scholarship to the Leporello and Commendatore Don Giovanni, Maria Stuarda, Peter Grimes, Giulio Cesare, Royal Manchester College of Music. He was Lindorf, Coppelius, Dr Miracle and Dapertutto Rigoletto, Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried awarded a C.B.E. in 1997 and knighted in the Les contes d’Hoffman, Golaud and Arkel Pelléas and The Minotaur. Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2005. He was et Mélisande, Boris Timofeyevich Ismailov awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, title role, Pimen CHRISTOPHER GLYNN Award for Singer in 1991, 1998 and 2007 and and Varlaam Boris Godunov, Ivan Susanin A in 2014 their Gold Medal. Life for a Tsar, Fiesco Simon Boccanegra, Tiresias Christopher Glynn is an award-winning pianist Oedipus, Dosifey Khovanshchina, The General and accompanist, working with leading John Tomlinson’s engagements include The Gambler, Thomas à Becket Murder in the singers, instrumentalists and ensembles in performances at La Scala, Milan, Rome, Cathedral, Ivan Yaklovlevich, Newspaper Clerk concerts, broadcasts and recordings throughout Barcelona, Geneva, Lisbon, Metropolitan Opera, and Doctor The Nose, Sergeant of Police The the world. He is also Artistic Director of the New York, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Pirates of Penzance and title roles in Bluebeard’s Ryedale Festival, programming around 60 Tokyo, Opera Australia, Paris, Amsterdam, Castle, Oberto, Mose in Egitto, and the world events each year in beautiful and historic Berlin (Deutsche Oper and Deutsche Staatsoper), premieres of Birtwistle’s The Minotour, Brett venues across North Yorkshire. Dresden, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Dean’s Last Days of Socrates and Ghost of Old Antwerp, and Bilbao and the Festivals of Hamlet in the world premiere of Brett Dean’s Described by The Times as having ‘beauties and Bayreuth (where he sang for 18 consecutive Hamlet and Doctor Charles Conde in Thomas insights aplenty’ and praised in Gramophone seasons), Orange, Aix-en-Provence, Salzburg, Ades’ Exterminating Angel. for his ‘breathtaking sensitivity’, Chris has Edinburgh and the Maggio Musicale, Florence. Siegried, Hagen Götterdämmerung, Titurel and performed with singers including Sir Thomas He has sung regularly with English National Gurnemanz Parsifal, King Marke Tristan und John Tomlinson has a large concert repertoire Allen, John Mark Ainsley, Sophie Bevan, Claire Opera since 1974 and with the Royal Opera, Isolde, Heinrich Lohengrin, Hans Sachs Die and has sung with all the leading British Booth, Ian Bostridge, Susan Bullock, Allan Covent Garden, since 1977 and has also Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Landgraf Tannhäuser, orchestras and in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Clayton, Sophie Daneman, Bernarda Fink, Anthony appeared with all the other leading British title role and Daland Fliegende Holländer, Baron Holland, France, Spain, Denmark and the Rolfe Johnson, Christiane Karg, Jonas Kaufmann, opera companies. His repertoire includes Wotan Ochs Der Rosenkavalier, Boromeo Palestrina, U.S.A. He has made many recordings including Yvonne Kenny, Jonathan Lemalu, Dame Felicity Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, Wanderer Orestes Elektra, Moses Moses und Aron, Green Wotan, Wanderer, Hagen, Hans Sachs, Titurel, Lott, Christopher Maltman, Mark Padmore,

- 18 - - 19 - Chris was born in Leicester and read music as appeared at the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh, organ scholar at New College, Oxford, before Aldeburgh, Lucerne and Tanglewood Festivals. studying piano with John Streets in France and Malcolm Martineau at the Royal Academy Sophie has appeared at the Royal Opera House of Music. Since making his debut at Wigmore Covent Garden, English National Opera and Hall in 2001, he has performed in major Frankfurt Opera where her operatic roles have concert venues and festivals throughout included Polissena Radamisto, Telair Castor Europe, North America and Asia, with highlights and Pollux, the title role The Cunning Little including performances at Carnegie Hall, Vixen, Lady Rich Gloriana, Ninetta La gazza Edinburgh and Aldeburgh Festivals, and the ladra, Waldvogel Siegfried, Governess The BBC Proms. Chris has made over 20 CD Turn of the Screw, Ilia Idomeneo, Sophie recordings and is regularly heard on BBC Der Rosenkavalier, Pamina Die Zauberflöte Radio 3. He is a Professor at the Royal Academy and Susanna Le nozze di Figaro. She made of Music and his many awards include the her Glyndebourne Festival debut as Michal accompaniment prize in the 2001 Kathleen Saul, her debut at the Teatro Real, Madrid as Ferrier competition, the 2003 Gerald Moore Pamina and her debut at both the Salzburg award, the 2002 Geoffrey Parsons prize and a Festival and Metropolitan Opera in the Grammy Award. world première of Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel. She created the role SOPHIE BEVAN of Hermione in Wigglesworth’s The Winter’s Tale.

Joan Rodgers, Kate Royal, Kathryn Rudge, Toby Sophie Bevan graduated from the Benjamin Sophie was the recipient of the 2010 Critics’ Spence, Bryn Terfel, Sir John Tomlinson, Robin Britten International Opera School. Circle award for Exceptional Young Talent. Tritschler, Ailish Tynan, Roderick Williams, She was nominated for the 2012 Royal Elizabeth Watts and many others. He also Conductors she has worked with include Pappano, Philharmonic Society Awards and was the © Sussie Ahlburg works regularly with many well-known Harding, Nelsons, Gardner, Cummings, Elder, recipient of The Times Breakthrough Award Her discography includes her solo Songs of instrumentalists and chamber ensembles, and Marriner and Mackerras. A noted recitalist, at the 2012 South Bank Sky Arts Awards and Vain Glory for Wigmore Live, Mozart Zaide with choirs including The Sixteen. she has performed at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw the Young Singer award at the 2013 inaugural and Perfido! Both with Classical Opera, for and London’s Wigmore Hall. Sophie has also International Opera Awards. Signum Classics.

- 20 - - 21 - JULIAN BLISS Album releases receiving rave reviews from critics, album of the week spots and media attention, Julian Bliss is one of the world’s finest clarinettists include his recording of Mozart and Nielsen’s excelling as a concerto soloist, chamber Concertos with the Royal Northern Sinfonia. musician, jazz artist, masterclass leader and The latest chamber discs include a new piece tireless musical explorer. He has inspired a for clarinet & string quartet by David Bruce – generation of young players as guest Gumboots – inspired by the gumboot dancing lecturer and creator of his Conn-Selmer of miners in South Africa and a recital album of range of affordable clarinets, and introduced Russian and French composers with American a substantial new audience to his instrument. pianist, Bradley Moore.

Born in the UK, Julian started playing the Recent highlights include an exciting new clarinet age 4, going on to study in the U. S. concerto by Wayne Shorter, with the Argovia at the University of Indiana and in Germany Philharmonic, extensive USA tour with his septet, under Sabine Meyer. The breadth and depth and chamber concerts with the Carducci Quartet. of his artistry are reflected in the diversity and distinction of his work. ALEC FRANK-GEMMILL In recital and chamber music he has played at Alec Frank-Gemmill divides his time between most of the world’s leading festivals and venues

© Ben Wright concertos, recitals, chamber music and © Jen Owens including Gstaad, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, orchestral playing. He was a member of the BBC Verbier, Wigmore Hall (London) and Lincoln In 2012 he established the Julian Bliss Septet, New Generation Artists scheme 2014-16, Egarr, Ligeti and Strauss with Robin Ticciati, Center (New York). creating programmes inspired by King of Swing, appearing as soloist with the BBC orchestras and Schumann with John Eliot Gardiner. In 2017 As soloist, he has appeared with a wide Benny Goodman, and Latin music from Brazil on numerous occasions, including in Alec gave the premiere of James Macmillan’s range of international orchestras, from the and Cuba that have gone on to be performed performances of rarely-heard repertoire by Concertino for Horn, conducted by Andrew Manze. Sao Paolo Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of to packed houses in festivals, Ronnie Scott’s Ethel Smyth, Malcolm Arnold and Charles Paris, and Auckland Philharmonia, to the BBC (London), the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) and Koechlin. He is a regular soloist with the Often invited as a guest principal horn, Alec Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic and across the U. S. Scottish Chamber Orchestra, performing concertos has frequently appeared with the Royal RoyalPhilharmonic Orchestra. by Mozart (on the natural horn) with Richard Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony

- 22 - - 23 - Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He also performs as part of period-instrument groups, most notably with Ensemble Marsyas. Their latest album “Edinburgh 1742: Barsanti & Handel” was critically acclaimed and singled out for its solo horn playing. Alec is the recipient of a Borletti-Buitoni Fellowship, which enabled him to make two recordings for the BIS label: a disc of 19th Century works for horn and piano with Alasdair Beatson, and baroque concertos with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Nicholas McGegan. Both albums have been highly praised in the press.

Alec is Professor of Horn at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, his alma mater. He also studied in Cambridge, Zürich and Berlin with teachers including Hugh Seenan, Radovan Vlatković and Marie-Luise Neunecker.

- 24 - - 25 - ALSO AVAILABLE on signumclassics

The Swansong translations were commissioned by Christopher Glynn and first performed at the Wigmore Hall on 11th December 2016.

Recorded in St Silas Church, Kentish Town frrom 11-13 September 2017, and 10 January 2018

Producer and Editor – Nicholas Parker Schubert: Winter Journey Recording Engineers – Mike Hatch, Mike Cox and Andrew Mellor Roderick Williams baritone Christopher Glynn piano Cover, tray and booklet images of Sir John Tomlinson and Christopher Glynn – © Gerard Collett except where otherwise indicated SIGCD531 Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk “[Jeremy Sams’s] achievement is considerable. Williams invests that liquid voice with deep intelligence and intensity, while P 2018 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd Glynn’s contributions are eloquently gauged.” © 2018 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd The Sunday Times Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd.

SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] www.signumrecords.com

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- 26 - - 27 - - 20 - CTP Template: CD_INL1 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay CYAN MAGENTA Customer SignumClassics YELLOW Catalogue No.SIGCD550 BLACK Job Title: Swansong

SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD550 SWANSONG TOMLINSON / GLYNN / TOMLINSON SWANSONG

SWANSONG FRANZ SCHUBERT’S SCHWANENGESANG D. 957, AUF DEM STROM D. 943 &

DER HIRT AUF DEM FELSEN D. 965

IN ENGLISH VERSIONS BY JEREMY SAMS

1 - r Swansong [52.36]

SIR JOHN TOMLINSON BASS CHRISTOPHER GLYNN PIANO

t On the River D. 943 [8.59] y The Shepherd on the Rock, D. 965 [11.07]

Total Timings [72.43]

SOPHIE BEVAN SOPRANO

JULIAN BLISS CLARINET ALEC FRANK-GEMMILL HORN CHRISTOPHER GLYNN PIANO SWANSONG TOMLINSON / GLYNN LC15723 Signum Records Ltd, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth SIGCD550

CLASSICS Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom. P 2018 Signum Records DDD SIGCD550 © 2018 Signum Records www.signumrecords.com 24 bit digital recording 6 35212 05502 1 SIGNUM