2CD SET SHARED GROUND 5 5. Flash [2.43] music by ALEC ROTH ‡ words (Shared Ground) by VIKRAM SETH 6 6. This [4.46]

Ponticelli CD1 7 1. Flat Bridge [3.35] Earthrise 8 2. Bridge Of Sighs [2.04] 1 Part I: Man’s Drive To Explore And Exploit [7.36] 9 3. Arched Bridge [5.24] 2 Part II: Contemplation Of The Earth Seen From Space [5.47] 0 4. Bridge Of Sleepers [3.41] 3 Part III: A Plea For True Wisdom And Understanding [11.28] q 5. Rustic Bridge [7.30]

Hymn To Gaia w The Flower [3.13] 4 Hymn To Gaia I (Homeric Text) [7.28]

5 Hymn To Gaia II (Orphic Text) [6.08] CD2 Total Timings [49.00]

6 Sol Justitiae [4.00] Total Timings [91.30]

CD1 Total Timings [42.30] To hear the interlocking version of Shared Ground and Ponticelli, programme the tracks in the following sequence: 1 - 7 - 2 - 8 - 3 - 9 - 4 - 0 - 5 - q - 6

CD2 Shared Ground 1 1. Lost [3.50] 2 2. Oak [4.32] 3 3. And [3.56] conductor 4 4. Host [3.44] Philippe Honoré violin

www.signumrecords.com Introduction Ex Cathedra’s relationship with Alec Roth must The relationship is sure to continue with many don’t realize what they have.” (James Lovell, surely have been made in heaven. Not only has more performances and recordings. Apollo 8); ‘I dodged into a record shop to escape the rain. Alec absorbed the enormous scope and vision of “It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, Over the speakers came intriguingly beautiful our work, writing fluently and with apparent ease Jeffrey Skidmore, July 2011 pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my music. I just had to know what it was, and for our chamber , Consort, XL Anniversary thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted came away with the New World CD. Choir, and Academy of Vocal Music, as represented out the planet Earth.” (Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11). Sometime later, considering which choir to use on this recording, but he also alludes with great EARTHRISE for a commission, I remembered Ex Cathedra. awareness to many of our musical influences – for unaccompanied choir in 40 parts ‘Reading these and other descriptions brought But were they as good live as on disc? I heard Poulenc, Tallis, Latin America, and Bach. There is to mind the prophet Isaiah’s evocation of a them in Durham Cathedral, slipping in to observe also the undeniable strain of Englishness which Alec Roth writes… ‘Being a great admirer of God’s-eye view of the Earth. I have used these the rehearsal. The concert was wonderful, runs through his music and our performance style, Ex Cathedra, it was both a joy and an honour verses in the text for Earthrise, along with but the rehearsal was the deciding factor. Here regardless of our declared eclectic influences. when Jeffrey Skidmore asked me to compose a other suitably visionary selections from the Old was a group whose approach to music-making new work for their 40th year. Casting around Testament. The words have a grandness and was so inspiring that I wanted to be part of it.’ Ex Cathedra has performed Alec’s music in over for a subject, I noticed that 2009 was also the solemnity which seem appropriate to the subject. 30 concerts since 2007. We have commissioned 40th anniversary of the Moon landings, and of Alec Roth wrote this about our performance in two works, given premieres of four pieces, and the famous picture of the Earth rising above ‘If that great prophet of our own day, James November 2005. In July of the following year I have another major commission planned for 2012. the surface of the Moon. The Apollo 8 crew who Lovelock is to be believed, man’s hubristic similarly had sneaked into a rehearsal in Lichfield Alec Roth’s music is relatively simple, but strong, brought back the Earthrise picture and later claim to dominion over the Earth has led us to Cathedral of his 2006 commission Songs in Time sturdy and passionate, written from the heart, astronauts were awed and profoundly moved by the brink of environmental catastrophe. He of War and had been impressed by the beauty of and the choir loves it! It is of consistently high the vision of their home planet: insists (The Revenge of Gaia) that if we are to what I heard, his extraordinary awareness of subtle quality with moments of absolute genius. Its come to a true appreciation of the damage we colours, textures, patterns, and delicate sonorities. deceptive simplicity demands our full attention “It was the most beautiful, heart-catching are doing, then appealing to reason is not And by his constant attention to detail, even at the and is rewarded by close study. We also share sight of my life, one that sent a torrent of enough. We must develop an emotional connection third performance! We performed his Lullaby at an interest in languages, whether biblical, Latin, nostalgia, of sheer homesickness surging to the Earth by harnessing the power of metaphor ‘Candlelight’ in 2006 and gave our first premiere, English, contemporary, or from the Homeric through me ... raging nationalistic interests, and myth, ancient wisdom and sacred texts, for of Shared Ground, in Salisbury in 2007. It was a or Orphic traditions. Along with Quechua, famines, wars, pestilence don’t show from “they serve to ignite an intuitive understanding whirlwind affair! Nahuatl, Church Slavonic, French and Latin, that distance.” (Frank Borman, Apollo 8); of God and creation that cannot be falsified by we can now add Ancient Greek to our list of “It was the most beautiful thing there was rational argument.” In Homage to Gaia, as linguistic adventures! to see in all the heavens. People down here throughout his writings, Lovelock pays tribute

- 4 - - 5 - to the importance of the Earthrise image: “Can HYMN TO GAIA ‘For the ancient Greeks, the Earth goddess ‘My thanks are due to Paul Cartledge there have been any more inspiring vision this for children’s choir, mixed choir and bass drum Gaia was the origin of all. Her story has for his help with sources and general guidance century than that of the Earth from space? We parallels with the creation myths of other and encouragement; to Helen Roche for her saw for the first time what a gem of a planet Alec Roth writes… cultures, but centres on the role of the mother advice on the transliteration of the Greek; and we live on. The astronauts who saw the whole rather than the father. Creator, nourisher, to Professor James Diggle for providing a literal earth from Apollo 8 gave us an icon.” “Once a photograph of the Earth, taken from destroyer, she is the beginning and end of all translation of the texts and for allowing me the outside, is available, a new idea as living things. Over the centuries her influence to record his inspirational declamation of them. ‘Earthrise is a meditation on this icon and falls powerful as any in history will be let loose.” was eclipsed as the patriarchal gods gained Any deficiencies in the English versions are into three sections: (Sir Fred Hoyle, 1948) sway, but now we are learning again to pay entirely my own; they are singing translations Part I – Man’s drive to explore and exploit heed to her old wisdom through the scientific and in making them I have been influenced by Part II – Contemplation of the Earth seen ‘The radical new idea that sees our planet as a theory and environmental movement which bear the requirements of the music.’ from space single living organism was already forming in her name. Part III – A plea for true wisdom and James Lovelock’s mind in the 1960s when he Hymn to Gaia was commissioned by Ex Cathedra understanding was working for NASA. It wasn’t until 1969, ‘The first hymn is a setting of the Homeric Hymn thanks to the generous support of David Heathfield however, that it acquired its name – at the to Gaia. The ancient Greek text is sung by the and Alan Ingham. ‘The text is set in the Latin of the Vulgate, and suggestion of the writer William Golding, adult choir while the children sing a simultaneous the whole is topped and tailed by two of the Lovelock’s friend and neighbour in the village translation in English. The melody sung by the SOL JUSTITIAE Great Advent Antiphons. The music is scored for of Bowerchalke near Salisbury, where he was children is adapted from the Bedhaya Pangkur, words by James Barmby (1823-1897) unaccompanied choir in 40 parts and its layout living at the time. “My reason for persisting in a sacred dance of the Central Javanese court is modelled on that of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in calling the Earth Gaia and saying that it is alive gamelan tradition. James Barmby was Principal of Hatfield Hall alium, dividing the 40 parts into eight is not a personal foible; it is because I see this (now Hatfield College), University of Durham, each of five parts: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone as an essential step in the process of public, as ‘The second hymn is a setting of the Orphic from 1859 to 1876. The text of the Latin hymn and bass.’ well as scientific, understanding. Until we all Hymn to Gaia. In addition to the voices, the which he wrote for use in the College Chapel feel intuitively that the Earth is a living system, music makes use of a single instrument, the was rediscovered in 2009, and is a meditation Earthrise was commissioned by Ex Cathedra and know that we are part of it, we will fail to bass drum, played with a conventional beater, on the journey from darkness into light. It was with funds provided by the PRS Foundation. react automatically for its and ultimately our and on the rim with a birch. The children lead set to music at the request of Professor Tim Burt, The first performance was given by Ex Cathedra, own protection.” (James Lovelock, The Vanishing the adults in singing the ancient Greek text, and Master of Hatfield, by Alec Roth during his stay directed by Jeffrey Skidmore at the Town Hall, Face of Gaia, 2009) in a slightly slower central section they chant as in Residence at the College, Easter , 31 January, 2010. an English translation. Term 2009. The first performance was given by

- 6 - - 7 - the College Chapel Choir directed by Alexander ‘When, more than three decades later, I heard on “Love III”; “Flash” on “Virtue” and “This” on THE FLOWER Crawford at the Eve of Hatfield Day Service, that his house near Salisbury was on sale, I felt “Prayer I” – some of the loveliest of his poems, words by George Herbert (1593-1633) Durham Cathedral, 15 June 2009. I had to visit it. I had no intention of buying it; I and among my favourites. simply wanted to see the place where such Alec Roth writes… ‘Early in 2007 I set four SHARED GROUND poems as “Love” and “Virtue” had been written. ‘The texts were set to music by Alec Roth while stanzas of George Herbert’s poem “The Flower” at six pieces for double choir I saw the house, felt its atmosphere, and – though I he was staying at the house during my absence the suggestion of Judy Rees, who had invited words by Vikram Seth (b.1952) could not really afford to – made a bid for it. in Delhi. The spirit of the place found its way a number of to contribute new It struck me that had the house belonged to Donne into the music too, and in addition to setting hymn-tune settings of Herbert’s poetry, to be PONTICELLI – partita for solo violin or Milton or some other more overtly forceful the words for double choir, the composer wrote published by the George Herbert in Bemerton personality, I would not have been able to live a set of dance-like pieces for solo violin, each Group (www.georgeherbert.org.uk) in association Vikram Seth writes… ‘I first came across there. But Herbert, for all his depth and richness, inspired by one of the five bridges in the grounds. with the RSCM. I made further use of the melody George Herbert’s poetry in The Albatross Book is a clear writer and a tactful spirit. He might The two works, Shared Ground and Ponticelli in the second movement of Ponticelli, which I of Verse, a copy of which had been given to influence me but would not wish to wrest me (“little bridges”), are designed so that they can was working on at the time. The slightly more my mother in Darjeeling on her 18th birthday. I from myself. be performed separately or together. In the elaborate version recorded here was arranged requisitioned it and took it with me to my combined form, the six pieces of Shared Ground especially for Ex Cathedra.’ boarding school in Dehradun, where I dipped ‘I bought the house in 2003. The garden runs are linked by the five bridges of Ponticelli.’ into it from time to time. I liked Herbert’s poems down to the river Nadder, and the wood and well enough, but was more taken at the time water-meadows beyond form part of the grounds. Shared Ground and Ponticelli were commissioned by his wordplay. It was some years later, when At the beginning I felt his presence hourly, both jointly by the Salisbury, Chelsea and Lichfield doing my English A-level at Tonbridge School within the house and outside. As time passed, Festivals with funds provided by Arts Council that I came across him again: a selection of I began to think of it as being somewhat more England and the PRS Foundation. The first his poetry was one of our set texts. I felt a my own, but still, indefinably, shared. performances were given by Ex Cathedra great affinity for Herbert – for his clarity, his conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore, and Philippe depth of feeling, his spiritual struggles, his ‘Early in 2007, while I was in Delhi but thinking Honoré (violin) at Wilton Church, 6 June; Holy delight in the pleasures of nature and music, of Salisbury, I wrote the six poems of Shared Trinity Church, Chelsea, 21 June; and Lichfield his wit, his strange juxtapositions, his decorous Ground. Though the mood and spirit of these Cathedral, 10 July, 2007. colloquiality. Indeed, though I am neither verses are my own, they are formally modelled Christian nor particularly religious, he is still on poems by Herbert: “Lost” on “Paradise”; “Oak” among my favourite poets. on “Easter-Wings”; “And” on “Hope”; “Host”

- 8 - - 9 - TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS Part II – contemplation of the Earth seen from space Ecce O ecce Look, O look! EARTHRISE Levate in excelsum oculos vestros et videte; quis Lift up your eyes on high and see; who created for unaccompanied choir in 40 parts creavit haec? these things? Tenor: Samuel Boden Quis mensus est pugillo aquas? Et caelos palmo Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his ponderavit? Quis adpendit tribus digitis molem hand? And weighed the heavens with his palm? Antiphon terrae? Who has balanced on three fingers the mass of the O oriens, splendor lucis aeternae et sol iustitiae: O you who rise, brightness of light everlasting earth? veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra and sun of justice: come and illumine those Qui sedet super gyrum terrae; et habitatores eius He that sits above the circle of the earth; and mortis. who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. sunt quasi lucustae. Qui extendit velut nihilum its inhabitants are like locusts. He that stretches Great Advent Antiphon 5 caelos; et expandit eos sicut tabernaculum ad out the heavens as nothingness; and spreads inhabitandum. them out like a tent to live in. Part I - man’s drive to explore and exploit Qui dat secretorum scrutatores quasi non sint; He that makes the searchers of secrets as nothing; Quid est homo quod memor es eius? Aut filius What is man that you are mindful of him? Or the iudices terrae velut inane fecit. the judges of the earth he renders worthless. hominis quoniam visitas eum? son of man that you visit him? Ecce gentes quasi stilla situlae. Ecce insulae Look, the nations are like a drop from a bucket. Constituisti eum super opera manuum tuarum; You have set him in dominion over the works of your quasi pulvis exiguus. Look, the islands are like fine dust. omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius. hands; all things you have subjected under his feet. Isaiah 40: 26, 12, 22, 23, 15 Psalm 7(8): 4, 6 Ad silicem extendit manum suam; subvertit a To the hard rock he stretches out his hand; he Part III – a plea for true wisdom and understanding radicibus montes. overturns the mountains by their roots. Audite haec, omnes gentes; auribus percipite, Hear this, all you nations; pay heed, all you In petris rivos excidit; et omne pretiosum vidit In the rocks he cuts out channels; and every omnes qui habitatis orbem, quique terriginae, et inhabitants of the globe, all you that are oculus eius. precious thing is sought out by his eye. filii hominum, in unum, dives et pauper. earth-born, and you children of men, all as one, Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est; et The deeps of the rivers he also searches; and rich and poor. abscondita produxit in lucem. hidden things he brings to light. Os meum loquetur sapientiam, et meditatio cordis My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? Et quis est locus But where shall wisdom truly be found? And where mei prudentiam. meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. intellegentiae? is the place of discernment? Psalm 48(49): 1-3 Job 28: 9-12 Dominus sapientia fundavit terram; stabilivit The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; he caelos prudentia. established the heavens by understanding.

- 10 - - 11 - Sapientia illius eruperunt abyssi, et nubes rore By his wisdom the deeps burst forth, and the HYMN TO GAIA Exulting in their youth, they dance through concrescunt. clouds grow thick with moisture. for children’s choir, mixed choir and bass drum the flowers; Fili mi, ne effluant haec ab oculis tuis; custodi My child, let not these things escape from your And over the grass they dance for joy. legem atque consilium, eyes; guard the law and keep good counsel, 4 Hymn to Gaia I It is you who bless, it is you who nourish, Et erit vita animae tuae, et gratia faucibus tuis. And they will be life to your soul, and adornment Ancient Greek Homeric Hymn to Gaia Sacred spirit, mother earth. to your neck. Soprano: Grace Davidson Tunc ambulabis fiducialiter in via tua, et pes tuus Then you will walk securely in your way, and your Mezzo soprano: Martha McLorinan Be well, be well, mother earth, non inpinget. foot will not stumble. Lovely bride of starry heaven, of starry heaven; To Gaia, mother of all, shall I sing: And for my song grant me life both full and long. Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam, et qui affluit Blessed is the man that finds wisdom, and who is The oldest one, firm foundation of all the world. It is you who bless, it is you who nourish, prudentia. rich in understanding. All things that move over the face of the earth, Sacred spirit, mother earth, our blessed Melior est adquisitio eius negotiatione argenti; et It is better to acquire her than goods of silver; and All things that move through the sea, and all mother earth. auro primo fructus eius. better than purest gold is her revenue. that fly: Pretiosior est cunctis opibus; et omnia quae desid- She is more precious than great riches; and all that All these are fed and nourished from your store; 5 Hymn to Gaia II erantur huic non valent conparari. could be desired cannot be compared with her. From you all children and all good harvests Ancient Greek Orphic Hymn to Gaia Longitudo dierum in dextera eius; in sinistra illius Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand, come forth, Soprano: Susannah Vango divitiae et gloria. riches and glory. O blessed one, our mother earth. Viae eius viae pulchrae; et omnes semitae illius Her ways are ways of beauty; and all her paths are Mother earth, source of blessed gods and men, pacificae. peaceful. O blessed one, mother of all mankind, All-nourisher, all-giver, ripener, all-destroyer, Lignum vitae est his qui adprehenderint eam; et A tree of life she is to them that lay hold of her; and The giver of life and the taker of life away, Inspirer of growth, yielder of beautiful fruit in qui tenuerit eam beatus. those who hold her fast are blessed. For mortal men, happy are those you honour: due season, Proverbs 3: 19-23; 13-18 Your fertile earth yields up riches to satisfy all Foundation of the endless cosmos, their needs; many-splendoured lady, Antiphon Their cities and their homes are filled with all With the pains of child-birth you bring forth good things; all manner of life, O sapientia, quae ex ore altissimi prodisti, O wisdom, which came out of the mouth of the Well-ordered lives of men and women you bless: Eternal, highly-revered, deep-bosomed, blessed one, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviter most high, reaching from one end all the way to the Good fortune is theirs. Rejoicing in sweetly-breathing greenery, disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam other, mightily and graciously ordering all things: many-flowered deity, prudentiae. come and teach us the way of understanding. Their children sing for joy and delight, Delighting in rain; around you heaven’s Great Advent Antiphon 1

- 12 - - 13 - teeming stars Et lotis Agni sanguine, And those washed in the Lamb’s blood, Revolve in ever-winding flow most awesome. Luceat lux perpetua. Shine upon them light everlasting. But, blessed spirit, may your fruits increase, and with joyful heart, 7. Deo Patri sit gloria, 7. To God the Father be glory Look kindly upon us this time and for ever. Ejusque soli Filio, And to his only Son Cum Spiritu Paraclito, With the Holy Ghost English translations © Alec Roth 2011 Et nunc et in perpetuum. Amen. Both now and for ever. Amen.

6 SOL JUSTITIAE SHARED GROUND words by James Barmby (1823-1897) six pieces for double choir Soprano: Katie Trethewey words by Vikram Seth (b.1952)

1. Jam noctis adsunt tenebrae; 1. As the darkness of night arrives 1 1. Lost Te autem expectantibus, You, for whom we wait, In cujus pennis sanitas, In whose wings is healing, Lost in a world of dust and spray, Orire Sol justitiae Arise, sun of righteousness. We turn, we learn, we twist, we pray For word or tune or touch or ray: 4. Tu, vera lux in tenebris 4. You, true light in darkness, Lassatis et errantibus, Upon the weary and the wandering, Some tune of hope, some word of grace, Jam Te desiderantibus Now, upon those who long for you, Some ray of joy to guide our race, Affulge per caliginem. Beam out through the gloom. Some touch of love to deuce our ace.

5. Sic, in eremo sospites, 5. So, in the desert, safe and sound, In vain the ace seeks out its twin. Tuo muniti numine, Protected by your power, The race is long, too short to win. Te noctis in silentio, You, in the night and in silence, The tune is out, the word not in. Te consequemur in dies. You we will follow into the day. Our limbs, our hearts turn all to stone. 6. Nox tandem cedat lumini 6. Night at last will give way to the light Our spring, our step lose aim and tone. Illustraturo condita, Which will illumine that which is hidden, We are no more – and less than one.

- 14 - - 15 - There is no soul in which to blend, 3 3. And Than rent his rooms of verse.” Bright trout, who glints in fin and scale, No life to leave, no light to lend, Whose whim is grubs, whose dream is flies, No shape, no chance, no drift, no end. And then I woke. I tried, once more, to sleep, Joy came, and grief; love came, and loss; You, with one whisk of your quick tail, But could not coax or keep three years – Flick past my eyes. 2 2. Oak The thought of you, your laugh, your hands, Tiles down; moles up; drought; flood. your eyes, Though far in time and faith, I share his tears, Bright stream, home to bright fish and birds, Last night a storm raged round the bare oak tree. Blanked by the sun’s calm rise. His hearth, his ground, his mud; A gold glow as the gold sun dies, A cold, sharp rain fell; wild in pace The dream was done; your voice was gone; the day Yet my host stands just out of mind and sight, You too, too fast for these poor words, The ice-fed air swirled free. That rose now, pink and grey, That I may sit and write. Flow past my eyes. Now in this place Was there to work through, till the dark hours came, I see And you, your voice, your name. 4a. [Inscription]* (George Herbert) But such drab words, ah, sad to say, No trace When all that’s bright has fled and gone, Of wind or lee, 4 4. Host If thou chance for to find Praised by dull folk, dressed all in grey, No grass, no earth – the space Tenor: Samuel Boden A new house to thy mind Live on and on. Is a clear lake, deep as my knee. And built without thy cost I reach its edge and view, far down, my face. I heard it was for sale and thought I’d go Be good to the poor To see the old house where As God gives thee store I wade out to the bench, set down my wine, He lived three years, and died. How could I know And then my labour’s not lost. 6 6. This My bread and cheese, and like some sage Its stones, its trees, its air, Of old, sit down to dine. The stream, the small church, the dark rain * This inscription carved in stone is set into the north wall of the Hearts-ease, hearts-bane; a balm that chafes would say: Old Rectory, Bemerton, which was George Herbert’s home from one raw; I do not rage 1630 to his death in 1633 and where he wrote much of his poetry. Or pine “You’ve come; you’ve seen; now stay.” The soul in splints; graph with no grid or gauge; A fort, a house on stilts, a hut of straw; At age, 5 5. Flash For youth once mine. “A guest?” I asked. “Yes, as you are on earth.” A tic, a weal, the flu, the plague, the rage; This pool, this plate, this page, “The means?” “. . . will come, don’t fear.” Bright bird, whose swift blue wings gleam out Bug swept in through the net; moth with a sting; This tree whose roots are branch and tine “What of the risk?” “Our lives are that from birth.” As on the stream you dip and rise, Two planes in fog jammed blind; a mailed Holds me in its still hour-glass, its free cage. “His ghost?” “His soul is here.” You, as you scan for parr and trout, kid glove; “He’ll change my style.” “Well, but you could Flash past my eyes. A dance on coals that makes us yelp and sing; do worse A rook or roc or swan or goose or dove.

- 16 - - 17 - A beast of light; a blaze to quench or stoke; Who would have thought my shrivel’d heart Bread burst and burnt; sweet wind-fall; Could have recover’d greenness? It was gone BIOGRAPHIES storm-cloud-milk; Quite under ground; as flowers depart Hope raised and razed; skin-ploy; sleep-foil; To see their mother-root, when they have blown; steel-silk; Where they together ALEC ROTH Hands held in lieu of breath; our genes’ sick joke; All the hard weather, The sea to drink or sink in; the gods’ sty; Dead to the world, keep house unknown. Composer Alec Roth is probably best known What we must have or die; or have and die. for his collaborations with the Indian writer And now in age I bud again, Vikram Seth, which include the opera Arion and Copyright © Vikram Seth 2007 After so many deaths I live and write; the Dolphin, the BBC Proms commission Earth I once more smell the dew and rain, and Sky for children’s choir, and numerous songs And relish versing: O my only light, and song-cycles. Other works include four It cannot be commissions for the Academy of St Martin in That I am he the Fields: Departure of the Queen of Sheba, On whom thy tempests fell all night. Nocturne, Concertino Piccolo and for Guitar and String Orchestra; and, most recently, These are thy wonders, Lord of love, a Second for the Allegri Quartet, w The Flower To make us see we are but flowers that glide: and My Lute & I, a song cycle to words by words by George Herbert (1593-1633) Which when we once can find and prove, Thomas Wyatt, the latest in a string of works Tenor: Samuel Boden Thou hast a garden for us, where to bide. for tenor Mark Padmore and guitarist Morgan Who would be more, Szymanski. How fresh, O Lord, how sweet and clean Swelling through store, Are thy returns! ev’n as the flowers in spring; Forfeit their Paradise by their pride. Between 2006 and 2009 he completed a To which, besides their own demean, sequence of four major works in collaboration The late-past frosts tributes of pleasure bring. with Vikram Seth and violinist Philippe Honoré, Grief melts away co-commissioned by the Salisbury, Chelsea and Like snow in May, Lichfield Festivals. The first in the series, Songs As if there were no such cold thing. in Time of War, for tenor, violin, harp and

guitar is now available on CD on the Signum © Helen Smith

- 18 - - 19 - label. The second, a pair of works – Shared EX CATHEDRA Ground for unaccompanied choir and Ponticelli for solo violin – was premiered in 2007 and From its home city of Birmingham, Ex Cathedra marked the beginning of his ongoing fruitful has established an international reputation relationship with Ex Cathedra and Jeffrey as a leading UK choir and ensemble. Skidmore. The third, The Traveller, a 50-minute It aims to explore, research and commission oratorio on the theme of the Ages of Man for the finest choral music and to set the highest violin, tenor, choir, children’s choir and standards for excellence in performance and orchestra received its first performance in training. Ex Cathedra is known for its passion Salisbury Cathedral in May 2008. The series for seeking out the best, the unfamiliar and the was completed with Seven Elements for tenor unexpected in the choral repertoire, for its and piano, and Seven Elements Suite for violin thorough research and for its dynamic performances. and piano in 2009. Founded by Jeffrey Skidmore in 1969, Ex Cathedra This new recording of Shared Ground and has grown into a unique musical resource, Ponticelli coincides with the publication by comprising specialist choir, vocal Consort, Penguin of Vikram Seth’s book The Rivered period-instrument orchestra and thriving

Earth, which tells the story of their four-year education programme. © James Ashby collaboration. Ex Cathedra presents a series of concerts in The group has appeared in Champagne, Poissy, Kong in 2012. Singing Medicine has been Birmingham, where it is an Associate Artist at New York, Sagra Musicale Umbra (Perugia) and delivered for over five years at , and is delighted to receive invitations at the Royal Opera House. Children’s Hospital, and recently started at to appear at festivals and concert series across Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. The group the UK and abroad. Recent performances have Its education programme is central to Ex runs its own youth training choir, the Academy included the Aldeburgh, Aranjuez, Canterbury, Cathedra’s mission. It has delivered its Singing of Vocal Music (male and female singers aged Chelsea, Chichester, Edinburgh International, Playgrounds project to over 180 schools across 16 and above) and the Junior Academy of Gregynog, Kilkenny, Lufthansa, Newbury Spring, the UK, and to schools in Bangkok and New Vocal Music (boys and girls aged 7-16), trained Paisley, Santiago de Compostela, Salisbury, Zealand. There are plans to deliver Singing by Rebecca Ledgard. Stratford, St David’s and Three Choirs festivals. Playgrounds training in Guangzhou and Hong

- 20 - - 21 - Discover more at www.excathedra.co.uk and Bass: Martin Bates*, Robert Clarke*, John JEFFREY SKIDMORE www.facebook.com/excathedra. Cotterill, John Evanson, William Gaunt*, Jonathan Gibbs, Themba Mvula, Nicholas Jeffrey Skidmore is one of the country’s foremost Soprano: Susan Bates*, Naomi Berry, Alison Perfect, William Robinson, Jeff Sutherland-Kay. choral conductors and is highly regarded by Burnett, Grace Davidson, Elizabeth Drury*, instrumentalists, singers and audiences for Bridget Kerrison, Joy Krishnamoorthy, Margaret *denotes Earthrise only the high quality of his performances. He is well Langford, Claire Lees*, Alison Perrier-Burgess, †denotes Shared Ground & Hymn to Gaia only known for exciting programming which is often Helena Raeburn, Amy Secretan*, Shirley Scott*, challenging but always accessible. Jeffrey Rachel Snape*, Katie Trethewey, Susannah Vango. Academies of Vocal Music (Hymn to Gaia only): read music at Magdalen College, Oxford, before Henry Apsey, Natasha Branson, Connor Burns, returning to his native Birmingham to develop Alto: Derek Acock, David Allsopp*, Rebecca Joseph Burns, Fransizka Clifford, Wendy Cooper, Ex Cathedra into the internationally-acclaimed Buswell, Patrick Dunachie*, Sarah Budd, Emma Coleman, Martha Davis, Lukas Evans, choral group it has become today. Amanda Cowan*, Claire Eadington, Olivia Lucia Evans, Sam Evans, Sarra Facey, Megan Maffett, Amy Maclean, Martha McLorinan, Forster, Tom Heath, Saffron King, Georgina Directing Ex Cathedra and its associated Matthew Reeve, Jill Robinson, Janet Skidmore, O’ Hare, Antoni Pitsillides, Lucia Pitsillides, Baroque Orchestra and Consort, Jeffrey has Kate Thatcher*, Matthew Venner, Urszula Weber†. Sarah Price, Laura Rakotonirina, Oscar appeared in concert series and festivals across Richardson, Isabel Russell, Alice Shackley, the UK and abroad and made more than a Tenor: James Atherton, Samuel Boden, Jeremy Scarlett Taylor, Joanna Van Zeller, Ruth Wu. dozen highly-acclaimed recordings. He regularly Budd†, Jim Clements†, Jim Clulee, Stephen conducts other ensembles and in the last five © www.operaomnia.co.uk Davis*, Julian Forbes*, Tim Kennedy, Peter Vocal Tutors (Hymn to Gaia only): Marianne years has commissioned more than ten new Trethewey, Ashley Turnell*, Michael Solomon Ayling, Claire Hollocks, Rachael Richardson, works and conducted many world premieres by the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and has won Williams*. Jill Robinson, Janet Skidmore, Urszula Weber. both well-established composers and new, young wide acclaim in particular for his recordings of talent. Composers include Fyfe Hutchins, Gabriel French and Latin American with Baritone: William Coleman*, Simon Gallear*, Bass Drum (Hymn to Gaia): Simone Rebello. Jackson, , Daryl Runswick, Peter Ex Cathedra. An Honorary Fellow at Birmingham Richard Green, Paul Hedley*, Adrian Horsewood, Sculthorpe, Philip Sheppard, Peter Wiegold, Conservatoire and a Research Fellow at the Greg Skidmore, David Stuart, Andrew van and . , he has prepared new der Beek*, Robert Webb*. performing editions of works by Araujo, Jeffrey is a pioneer in the field of research Charpentier, Lalande, Monteverdi and Rameau. and performance of neglected choral works of www.excathedra.co.uk/jeffrey_skidmore.php

- 22 - - 23 - PHILIPPE HONORÉ novel of that name by the author Vikram Seth was inspired by and dedicated to Philippe. Philippe Honoré divides his busy schedule between solo work, and as a Philippe’s collaboration with the composer Alec principal player with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Roth over a recent four-year project has earned After having received top honours from both him great critical acclaim. The performances the Paris Conservatoire and the Royal Academy took place at the Salisbury, Chelsea and Lichfield of Music in London, he was made Lauréat of Festivals. BBC Radio 3 recorded and broadcast the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation of France in these annual concerts, in which, in addition to 1992 and was awarded an Honorary Associateship the world premieres of Roth’s work, Philippe also by the in 2001. played solo Bach and Ysaÿe sonatas. The Times described his account of Roth’s solo work in 2007 He is a former member of the Vellinger Quartet as ‘magically played’. and a founder member of the Mobius ensemble. As such, he has appeared in some of the most His violin is an Eberle, made in 1786 in Naples. prestigious venues abroad (such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw) and in the UK (such as the Shared Ground is the second of four libretti Wigmore Hall and the South Bank). He has written by Vikram Seth to be set to music by appeared as a soloist performing Beethoven, Alec Roth, all of which can be found in The Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi concerti, as well as Rivered Earth (published by Penguin, November Ravel’s Tzigane. 2011). The book also contains an account by the author of “the pleasures and pains of Philippe regularly appears as guest leader © Clive Barda working with a composer”. with some of the UK’s best orchestras.

He has made numerous solo and chamber music recordings. His solo violin performances on Decca’s album An Equal Music are regularly featured on both Classic FM and Radio 3. The

- 24 - - 25 - Ex Cathedra is supported by Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England.

Recorded at Hawkesyard Priory on 29 - 30 June and 1 July 2011.

Recording Producer - Mark Brown Recording Engineer - Julian Millard

Cover Image - NASA (Earthrise from Apollo 8) Produced under an exclusive licence from Ex Cathedra Design and Artwork - Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk

P 2011 The copyright in this recording is owned by Ex Cathedra © 2011 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd.

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.

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George Herbert’s inscription, the Old Rectory, Bemerton (see Shared Ground text, No. 4a) [photo credit: James Woods]

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