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Home , Advance Democracy, Andrew Carwood, Hymn to St Cecilia

CORO CORO The BRITTEN Collection cor16107

“...exceptional quality, reinforcing as one of the finest of our day.” gramophone Sacred and Profane

The ETON CHOIRBOOK cor16040 Collection “...wonderful music, wonderfully performed... William Cornysh sit back and let these glorious sounds fill your ears and lift your spirits.” gramophone

To find out more about The Sixteen, concert tours, and to buy CDs visit The Sixteen www.thesixteen.com cor16159 ver four centuries separate This album looks at the way these two composers mixed sacred with secular. Othese two representatives Whilst Cornysh’s sacred music is elaborate and rhythmically complicated, his of English music at its finest. secular music is simple yet subtly evocative. Britten makes constant demands on William Cornysh and Benjamin vocal artistry, best displayed in the last work he ever wrote for unaccompanied Britten were prolific in both voices, Sacred and Profane, composed in the winter of 1974-5. Britten chose his sacred and secular music. texts with great care and devotion; these are medieval lyrics, and he gives us a Cornysh is actually two fascinating mixture of the devotional and the rumbustiously secular. The final people, often confused with Borggreve Marco Photograph: song ‘A death’ is a wicked blend of horror and gallows humour far removed from one another and quite possibly the melancholic canon Ah, Robin by Cornysh. father and son. Both originated in Westminster of unknown Britten had a distinct affection for medieval lyrics like those he used in Sacred parentage; the Elder died in and Profane and A Hymn to the Virgin. He clearly enjoyed the archaic language, 1502 and the Younger, of whom the vowels and expressive consonants in the same way that Cornysh revelled in much more is known, in 1523. the insistent rhythm of the passion poem Woefully array’d. The importance of fine The matter of telling which man poetry to both these composers is abundantly clear, be it the glorious poetry of wrote which works is impossible the Salve Regina, Ah, Robin, WH Auden’s extraordinarily evocative Hymn to Saint to settle, so for the purpose of Cecilia or Randall Wingler’s earnest political poem . We are this album I have decided to link undoubtedly blessed to have this glorious poetry set to music by two of the finest them as one. So whether it be composers of their respective eras; they both call on extraordinary feats of vocal the Elder or the Younger, we are fortunate that they not only excelled at writing virtuosity, demanding yet ultimately so rewarding. complex and adventurous antiphons for the church but also beautiful secular songs for the Tudor court. Of course, for Britten, writing in the 20th century, life was very different; he is a composer who encompassed so many facets of music, excelling in opera, solo song and all manner of vocal and instrumental music.

2 3 William Cornysh in the British Library – three pieces are 1 Benjamin BRITTEN A Hymn to the Virgin 3.41 attributed to ‘William Cornyssh Junior’. In the world of the arts, attribution (They include Woefully array’d, recorded 2 William CORNYSH My love she mourn’th 3.39 matters. Imagine yourself in a gallery, here.) By adding the word ‘Junior’, the 3 Benjamin BRITTEN Hymn to 10.58 facing a picture labelled ‘Bruegel’. Yes, scribe tells us that these pieces are not by 4 William CORNYSH Salve Regina 14.45 but which? – the rare and superior Pieter William Cornysh Senior; he therefore 5 Benjamin BRITTEN Advance Democracy 3.21 Bruegel the Elder, or his more prolific implies that the older man was also a 6 William CORNYSH Ave Maria, Mater Dei 3.50 and derivative son, Pieter Brueghel composer. Regrettably, other scribes the Younger? Or imagine a concert were less meticulous, merely writing 7 William CORNYSH Woefully array’d 7.48 announcing works by ‘Gabrieli’. Yes, the name ‘William Cornysh’ into their 8 William CORNYSH Ah, Robin, gentle Robin 2.49 but which? – the well-known Giovanni, copies. By doing so, they leave us to maker of bold musical spectacles, or his guess which man they meant. Benjamin BRITTEN SACRED AND PROFANE more versatile but lesser-known uncle 9 St Godric’s Hymn 1.34 Andrea, from whom Giovanni learnt so Biographically, the two Williams much? And now, in these recordings, Cornysh have two things in common: bl I mon waxe wod 0.39 bm works by ‘William Cornysh’. Yes, but both were church musicians, and both Lenten is come 2.43 which? – because there were indeed held prestigious posts in London. In the bn The long night 1.20 two Tudor musicians named William 1480s, the elder Cornysh was a singer at bo Yif ic of luve can 2.39 Cornysh, and both seem to have been Westminster Abbey, where he directed bp Carol 1.36 composers. So who wrote what? the lady chapel and instructed the boy choristers. His subsequent career bq Ye that pasen by 2.19 br Alas, the truth may never be known, is undocumented, but we do know A death 3.02 and there is only one firm fact. In a that he married at least once, died in Total running time 66.44 music manuscript copied around 1501 1502, and was buried in Westminster. – known as the ‘Fayrfax MS’, and now William Cornysh Junior might 5 therefore have been his son. By 1493, the Latin pieces, including the two entertainments. Certainly they would spoken outside the British Isles; so this younger Cornysh was a singer recorded here, Salve Regina and Ave have been known to King Henry VIII Tudor composers in effect had this rich with the choir of the Chapel Royal, a Maria, mater Dei. They were copied into and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, language all to themselves. position he held to his death in 1523. the celebrated Eton Choirbook, a huge and indeed they uniquely survive today His adult career therefore overlapped and sumptuous manuscript made for in a manuscript known as the ‘Henry Imagine, then, the amazement of with the elder Cornysh by at least a use at Eton College soon after 1500, the VIII MS’ – copied around 1520, and a diplomat from Venice who, on decade. William Cornysh Junior was contents of which stretch back to the again now in the British Library – which stepping into Westminster Abbey much more than a singer; he was also 1480s or earlier. There is no mention of contains many songs composed by the around the year 1500, came face to face involved in dramatic entertainments ‘Junior’ here, so these pieces could well young king himself. with the Salve Regina by Cornysh. Its at court, devising pageants, plays and be by the older man. If so, then he is the vast soaring lines, its breathtaking other staged events; and in 1509 he author of some of the most spectacular One feature connects these works by roulades and cascades, its muscular took charge of the Chapel Royal’s boy and virtuosic music of his age. the two Cornyshes. They all sound exchanges between the men’s voices, choristers, training them not only to quintessentially English, and indeed its dramatic tuttis, all exceed what sing, but also to take part as child actors As for Cornysh Junior, we have already they do so with intent, since their might be expected of a solemn prayer in his dramatic productions. met his Woefully array’d, a pathos-filled composers knew perfectly well that to the Virgin Mary. As for Ave Maria, carol on the subject of Christ’s passion. their music differed from that of mater Dei, scored for men alone, it These biographical facts fuel some (The word ‘carol’ in this context refers Italy or Germany or France. Note in may begin more compactly, but it soon guesses about who wrote what. to the work’s form: a repeating refrain particular the elaborate melodic lines, drifts into a world of pure fantasy. Basically, the works ascribed to ‘William alternates with contrasting verses.) so challenging to sing, especially in Small wonder, then, if that diplomat, Cornysh’ fall into two categories: Cornysh Junior is also the stronger the Latin-texted pieces. (To foreign when writing home to Venice, speaks elaborate Latin-texted pieces for candidate for the remaining secular ears, they justified use of the Latin verb with awe of the musical feasts to be church use, and more intimate English- songs, including My love she mourn’th ‘iubilare’ – music that jubilates.) As for heard in Tudor churches. texted songs, using texts variously and Ah, Robin, gentle Robin. These the songs, they stand apart from the sacred or secular. Our current hunch is soulful settings of enigmatic love-lyrics European crowd on linguistic grounds, Imagine his curiosity, too, on hearing that it was Cornysh Senior who wrote might once have formed part of courtly since English at this time was barely the English language turned into song 6 7 by Cornysh Junior. There is a bluntness the gait of an alman or a pavan, such From the start, Britten was always smaller SATB group acts as an echo about the robust poetry set to music as might have been danced in Paris or brilliantly, intelligently alert to the (ideally, spatially distant) with each in Woefully array’d and Ah, Robin that Rome no less than in London. Again, potential of texts. Whether it was alternating Latin line. It is a simple, would have seemed deeply foreign to however, it is the musical roulades William Blake or Wilfred Owen, even obvious device from a talented anyone used to the elegance of Italian and flourishes that stamp these songs Shakespeare, Donne or Tennyson, apprentice, but the teenage Britten’s poetry or the refined tread of French as being uniquely English. Thus the his choice of texts ranged widely. assurance with harmonic progression verse. (Cornysh himself may have Cornysh dynasty, while seemingly ‘Anonymous’ racks up more credits and shaping of the third verse climax written these texts, though they vaguely two in number, were in a sense of one than any other name in the extensive gives it a timeless, touching eloquence. resemble work by contemporaries such mind: in their works, whether sacred or index of Britten’s authorly accomplices, as John Skelton and Sir Thomas Wyatt.) profane, they express their nationality – and it was one of these – ‘Anonymous, The very first sign that Britten was Occasionally these songs pick up the lilt and evidently they do so with pride. c.1300’ – that he chose to set for double destined for great things musically of internationally fashionable dance; for chorus while laid up in his school came when his mother, with due instance, My love she mourn’th moves with John Milsom © 2018 sanatorium on 9 July 1930. serendipity, gave birth to him on the feast day of the patron saint of music. Felix Mendelssohn’s octet for strings A was perhaps is probably the most remarkable piece inevitable from someone born on such of music to have been written by a an auspicious day, and after a false start Benjamin Britten 16-year-old, but this exquisite setting in 1935 (he couldn’t find the right text Benjamin Britten express the extraordinary facility and by the Suffolk schoolboy is right up at that time), his debt to Cecilia was The four Benjamin Britten works on responsiveness to text that he brought there too. The ‘macaronic’ alternation paid when the BBC Singers premiered this recording span the entirety of his to a large body of choral music over of English and Latin in A Hymn to the a new choral work in November 1942. composing life – from prodigiously four and a half decades; one that lays Virgin’s three stanzas was a natural It turned out to be the last, and perhaps accomplished schoolboy to impressively good claim to be the most significant trigger for Britten splitting his forces most accomplished collaboration mature 20-something and illness- and substantial of any composer in the into two groups. The larger, foreground with WH Auden, a figure who had wearied grand master. They all equally 20th century. choir sings the English lines, and a loomed large in Britten’s life, creatively, 8 9 intellectually and psychologically, since fire’. Her startling, incendiary muse a few months earlier, in November Wilbye Consort, but have subsequently the mid-1930s. certainly visited Britten here, and in 1938, with Swingler’s portent-laden become performed by some of the more the other choral masterpiece from the appeal to resist dictatorship, Advance elite choral forces, such is the harmonic Auden’s richly layered triptych of linked same time, . The Democracy. (‘There’s a roar of war in sophistication – angularity even – and , full of his characteristic verbal first was completed and the second the factories/And idle hands on the complexity of the composer’s evolved bravado, generated an extended three- composed afresh on board a Swedish street/And Europe held in nightmare/ late style. Britten revels in the richness, part motet from the 28-year-old Britten cargo ship on a lengthy and hazardous By the thud of marching feet.’) and strangeness, of the ancient texts that was no less inspired. There is such homeward voyage from New York in Commissioned by the London Co- he assembled, creating a tapestry of clarity of texture and harmonic intent in early 1942. Given the fate of so many operative Society, Britten’s eight-part spiritual and earthly life that ranges the outer sections, with the tonal focus vessels in those transatlantic wartime texture shares the same range and from a hymn to the Virgin Mary and around C and E majors in the opening convoys, we can only be thankful that invention which bore fruit fully in the contemplation of Christ on the cross and ‘Blessed Cecilia’ refrain hinting at the Axel Johnson dodged the U-boat three choral masterpieces of the early to evocations of winter and springtime. the opening letters of the patron saint’s torpedoes and made it to England with 1940s, Hymn to St Cecilia, A Ceremony The early 14th-century ‘Carol’, with its name. The five-part choral writing is its precious composer cargo. of Carols and . halting, incomplete lines, generated impressively nimble in the central, a particularly eloquent setting from imitative scherzo, and resourcefully Auden had sharpened up Britten’s If the first work featured here was Britten, as does the grisly, gallows accommodating of successive solos in social and political awareness in the composed in a school sanitorium, the humour detail of the closing song, ‘A the final section – where Britten draws early years of their friendship. One last, Sacred and Profane, came from death’. The semi-invalid Britten faces out Auden’s instrumental allusions with of their larger politically-charged a man seriously weakened by major mortality square on, with music that cleverly vocalised violin, drum, flute collaborations was Ballad of Heroes, surgery for a heart condition that would is a searingly original mix of despair, and bugle call. premiered in April 1939, and it eventually kill him. This set of ‘eight humour and – with the final words included contributions from another medieval lyrics’, composed in the winter ‘of all this world I don’t care one jot’ – Auden bids Cecilia to ‘appear and left-wing poet, Randall Swingler (1909- of 1974-5, turned out to be Britten’s last ultimate defiance. inspire…[to] come down and startle 67). This was the second time Britten work for professional choristers. They composing mortals with immortal had set text by him, the first being were composed for ’ five-part Meurig Bowen © 2017 10 11 1 Benjamin BRITTEN A Hymn to the Virgin (1930, rev.1934) 2 William CORNYSH My love she mourn’th Soloists: Patricia Forbes soprano Soloist: Ben Davies bass Christopher Royall alto My love she mourn’th for me, I shall not fail, Neil MacKenzie tenor My love she mourn’th for me; But sure retail Simon Birchall bass Alas, poor heart, From all other that be, Of one that is so fair and bright Lady, flow’r of ev’rything, Sen we depart, In well and wo Velut maris stella, Rosa sine spina, Mourn ye no more for me. My heart to go Brighter than the day is light, thou bare Jesu, Heaven’s King, With her that mourn’th for me. Parens et puella: Gratia divina: In loves dance, I cry to thee, thou see to me, Of all thou bear’st the prize, Sith that our chance, Thus here an end; Lady, pray thy Son for me, Lady, Queen of paradise Of absence needs must be, Good Lord, defend Tam pia, Electa: My love, I say, All lovers that true be, That I may come to thee. Maid mild, mother es Your love do way, And in especial Maria! Effecta. And mourn no more for me. From jeopardies all My love that mourn’th for me. All this world was forlorn Text Anon. c.1300 Eva peccatrice, 3 Till our Lord was yborn Benjamin BRITTEN Hymn to Saint Cecilia De te genetrice. Soloists: Julie Cooper, Kirsty Hopkins soprano With ‘ave’ it went away Edward McMullan alto Darkest night, and comes the day Mark Dobell tenor Salutis; Ben Davies bass The well springeth out of thee. I Virtutis. In a garden shady this holy lady And by ocean’s margin this innocent virgin With rev’rent cadence and subtle psalm, Constructed an organ to enlarge her prayer, Like a black swan as death came on And notes tremendous from her great engine Pour’d forth her song in perfect calm: Thunder’d out on the Roman air. 12 13 Blonde Aphrodite rose up excited, And Dread born whole and normal like a beast Mov’d to delight by the melody, Into a world of truths that never change: White as an orchid she rode quite naked; Restore our fallen day; O re-arrange. In an oyster shell on top of the sea; O dear white children casual as birds, At sounds so entrancing the angels dancing Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions Playing among the ruined languages, Came out of their trance into time again, To all musicians, appear and inspire: So small beside their large confusing words, And around the wicked in Hell’s abysses Translated Daughter, come down and startle So gay against the greater silences The huge flame flicker’d and eas’d their pain. Composing mortals with immortal fire. Of dreadful things you did: O hang the head, Impetuous child with the tremendous brain, II O weep, child, weep, O weep away the stain, I cannot grow; When it knows it Lost innocence who wished your lover dead, I have no shadow Can now do nothing Weep for the lives your wishes never led. To run away from, By suffering. I only play. All you liv’d through, O cry created as the bow of sin I cannot err; Dancing because you Is drawn across our trembling violin. There is no creature No longer need it Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions O weep, child, weep, O weep away the stain. Whom I belong to, For any deed. To all musicians, appear and inspire: O law drumm’d out by hearts against the still Whom I could wrong. I shall never be Translated Daughter, come down and startle Long winter of our intellectual will. I am defeat Diff’rent. Love me. Composing mortals with immortal fire. That what has been may never be again. O flute that throbs with the thanksgiving breath III Of convalescents on the shores of death. O bless the freedom that you never chose. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions O ear whose creatures cannot wish to fall, O trumpets that unguarded children blow To all musicians, appear and inspire: O calm of spaces unafraid of weight, About the fortress of their inner foe. Translated Daughter, come down and startle Where Sorrow is herself, forgetting all O wear your tribulation like a rose. Composing mortals with immortal fire. The gaucheness of her adolescent state, Where hope within the altogether strange WH Auden (1907-73) From ev’ry outworn image is released,

14 15 4 William CORNYSH Salve Regina 5 Benjamin BRITTEN Advance Democracy Salve Regina, mater misericordiae; Hail, O queen, mother of mercy; Across the darkened city Is there no strength to save us? vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. our life, our sweetness and our hope, hail. The frosty searchlights creep No power we can trust, Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae; To you we cry out, exiled children of Eve; Alert for the first marauder Before our lives and liberties ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes to you we sigh, mourning and weeping To steal upon our sleep. Are powder’d into dust. in hac lacrimarum valle. in this valley of tears. We see the sudden headlines Time to arise Democracy Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos Then, gracious advocate, turn Float on the muttering tide, Time to rise up and cry misericordes oculos ad nos converte. towards us your merciful eyes. We hear them warn and threaten That what our fathers fought for Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, And show us the blessed fruit of your womb, And wonder what they hide. We’ll not allow to die. nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. Jesus, after this exile. There are whispers across tables, Time to resolve divisions, Talks in a shutter’d room. Time to renew our pride, Virgo mater ecclesiae, Virgin mother of the church, The price on which they bargain Time to decide, aeterna porta gloriae, everlasting gate to glory, Will be a people’s doom. Time to burst our house of glass. esto nobis refugium apud Patrem et Filium. be our refuge with the Father and the Son. There’s a roar of war in the factories, Rise as a single being O clemens, virgo clemens, O gentle one, gentle virgin, And idle hands on the street, In one resolve arrayed: virgo pia, virgo dulcis, O Maria, virgin holy, virgin sweet, O Mary, And Europe held in nightmare Life shall be for the people exaudi preces omnium hear the prayers of all By the thud of marching feet. That’s by the people made. ad te pie clamantium. who make their dutiful cry to you. Now sinks the sun of surety, Randall Swingler (1909-67) O pia, funde preces tuo nato, O loving one, pour out prayers to your son, The shadows growing tall crucifixo, vulnerato, et pro nobis flagellato, crucified, wounded, scourged for our sake, Of the big bosses plotting spinis puncto, felle potato. pierced with thorns and given gall to drink. Their biggest coup of all. O dulcis Maria, salve. O sweet Mary, hail.

16 17 6 William CORNYSH Ave Maria II Thus naked am I nailed, III Of sharp thorn I have worn O man, for thy sake; I love thee, a crown on my head. Ave Maria, Mater Dei, Hail Mary, Mother of God, then love me, Why sleep’st thou? Awake, awake, So pained, so strained, Regina caeli, Domina mundi, Queen of heaven, Mistress of the world, remember my tender heart-root for thee brake; so rueful, so red. Imperatrix inferni: Empress of hell: with pains my veins constrained to crake; Thus bobbed, thus robbed, Miserere mei et totius populi Christiani, have mercy on me and on all Christ’s people, thus tugged to and fro, thus for thy love dead; Et ne permittas nos mortaliter peccare and let us not fall into mortal sin thus wrapped all in woe, unfeigned, not deigned, Sed tuam sanctissimam voluntatem adimplere. but let us fulfil your most holy will. whereas never man was so entreated, my blood for to shed. Amen. Amen. thus in most cruel wise My feet and handes sore was like a lamb offer’d in sacrifice; the sturdy nailes bore; woefully array’d. what might I suffer more than I have done, O man, for thee? 7 William CORNYSH Woefully array’d Come when thou list, welcome to me! Mark Dobell Verse I: Emilia Morton soprano, Daniel Collins alto, tenor, Rob Macdonald bass Woefully array’d. Verse II: Alexandra Kidgell soprano, Kim Porter alto, Jeremy Budd tenor, Ben Davies bass Verse III: Julie Cooper soprano, Ian Aitkenhead alto, Simon Berridge tenor, Eamonn Dougan bass 8 William CORNYSH Ah, Robin, gentle Robin Woefully array’d, sith I for thy soul sake My blood, man, was slain in good season, Mark Dobell, Jeremy Budd tenor Ben Davies bass For thee ran, beguiled and betrayed Ah, Robin, gentle Robin, I cannot think such doubleness, It may not be nayed; by Judas’ false treason. Tell me how thy leman doth, For I find women true; My body blo and wan, Unkindly entreated, with sharp cord sore And thou shalt know of mine. In faith my lady lov’th me well; Woefully array’d. freted the Jews me threated. Ah, Robin … She will change for no new. They mowed, they grinned, I Behold me, I pray thee Ah, Robin … they scorned me, My lady is unkind, iwis, with all thy whole reason condem’d to death, as thou may’st see; Alac why is she so? and be not hard-hearted, woefully array’d. She lov’th another better than me, and for this encheason, And yet she will say no. Ah, Robin … 18 19 Benjamin BRITTEN SACRED AND PROFANE Notes swete of nightegales, The sweet notes of nightingales, Uch fowl song singeth. Each bird sings a song. 9 I. St Godric’s Hymn The threstelcok him threteth oo. The thrush wrangles all the time. Sainte Marye Virgine, St Mary the Virgin, Away is huere winter wo Gone is their winter woe Moder Jesu Christes Nazarene, Mother of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, When woderofe springeth. When the woodruff springs. Onfo, schild, help thin Godric, Receive, defend and help thy Godric This fowles singeth ferly fele, These birds sing, wonderfully merry, Onfang, bring heylich (And,) having received (him,) And wliteth on huere wynne wele, And warble in their abounding joy, with thee in Godes Riche. Bring (him) on high with thee in God’s Kingdom. That all the wode ringeth. So that all the wood rings. Sainte Marye, Christes bur, St Mary, Christ’s bower, The rose raileth hire rode, The rose puts on her rosy face, Maidenes clenhad, moderes flur, Virgin among maidens, flower of motherhood, The leves on the lighte wode The leaves in the bright wood Dilie min sinne, rix in min mod, Blot out my sin, reign in my heart (and) Waxen all with wille. All grow with pleasure. Bring me to winne with the self God. Bring me to bliss with that selfsame God. The mone mandeth hire ble, The moon sends out her radiance, The lilye is lossom to se, The lily is lovely to see, bl II. I mon waxe wod The fennel and the fille. The fennel and the wild thyme. Wowes this wilde drakes, These wild drakes make love. Foweles in the frith, Birds in the wood, Miles murgeth huere makes, Animals cheer their mates, The fisses in the flod, The fish in the river, Ase strem that striketh stille. Like a stream that flows softly. And I mon waxe wod: And I must go mad; Mody meneth, so doth mo; The passionate man complains, as do more: Mulch sorw I walke with Much sorrow I live with Ichot ich am on of tho I know that I am one of those For beste of bon and blod. For the best creatures alive. For love that likes ille. That is unhappy for love.

The mone mandeth hire light, The moon sends out her light, bm III. Lenten is come So doth the semly sonne bright, So does the fair, bright sun, Lenten is come with love to toune, Spring has come with love among us, When briddes singeth breme. When birds sing gloriously. With blosmen and with briddes roune, With flowers and with the song of birds, Deawes donketh the dounes, Dews wet the downs, That all this blisse bringeth. That brings all this happiness. Deores with huere derne rounes Animals with their secret cries Dayeseyes in this dales, Daisies in these valleys, Domes for to deme. For telling their tales.

20 21 Wormes woweth under cloude, Worms make love under ground, For the luve of man; For the love of man, Wimmen waxeth wounder proude, Women grow exceedingly proud, Well ou ic to wepen, Well ought I to weep So well it wol hem seme. So well it will suit them. And sinnes for to leten, And sins to abandon, Yef me shall wonte wille of on, If I don’t have what I want of one, Yif ic of luve can, If I know of love, This wunne wele I wole forgon, All this happiness I will abandon, Yif ic of luve can, If I know of love, And wiht in wode be fleme. And quickly in the woods be a fugitive. Yif ic of luve can. If I know of love. bn IV. The long night bp VI. Carol Mirie it is, while summer ilast, Pleasant it is while summer lasts, Maiden in the mor lay, A maiden lay on the moor, With fugheles song. With the birds’ song. In the mor lay; Lay on the moor; Oc nu necheth windes blast, But now the blast of the wind draws nigh, Sevenight fulle, A full week, And weder strong. And severe weather. Sevenight fulle, A full week, Ey! ey! what this night is long! Alas ! how long this night is, Maiden in the mor lay; A maiden lay on the moor; And ich, with well michel wrong, And I, with very great wrong, In the mor lay, Lay on the moor Soregh and murne and fast. Sorrow and mourn and fast. Sevenightes fulle and a day. A full week and a day.

Welle was hire mete. Good was her food. bo V. Yif ic of luve can What was hire mete? What was her food? Whanne ic se on Rode When I see on the cross The primerole and the – The primrose and the – Jesu, my lemman, Jesu, my lover, The primerole and the – The primrose and the – And besiden him stonden And beside him stand Welle was hire mete. Good was her food. Marye and Johan, Mary and John, What was hire mete? What was her food ? And his rig iswongen, And his back scourged, The primerole and the violet. The primrose and the violet. And his side istungen, And his side pierced,

22 23 Welle was hire dring. Good was her drink. br VIII. A death What was hire dring? What was her drink? Wanne mine eyhnen misten, When my eyes get misty, The chelde water of the – The cold water of the – And mine heren sissen, And my ears are full of hissing, The chelde water of the – The cold water of the – And my nose coldet, And my nose gets cold, Welle was hire dring. Good was her drink. And my tunge foldet, And my tongue folds, What was hire dring? What was her drink? And my rude slaket, And my face goes slack, The chelde water of the welle-spring. The cold water of the well-spring. And mine lippes blaken, And my lips blacken, And my muth grennet, And my mouth grins, Welle was hire bowr. Good was her bower. And my spotel rennet, And my spittle runs, What was hire bowr? What was her bower? And mine her riset, And my hair rises, The rede rose and the – The red rose and the – And mine herte griset, And my heart trembles, The rede rose and the – The red rose and the – And mine honden bivien, And my hands shake, Welle was hire bowr. Good was her bower. And mine fet stivien – And my feet stiffen – What was hire bowr? What was her bower? Al to late! al to late! All too late! all too late ! The rede rose and the lilye flour. The red rose and the lily flower. Wanne the bere is ate gate. When the bier is at the gate.

Thanne I schel flutte Then I shall pass, bq VII. Ye that pasen by From bedde to flore, From bed to floor, Ye that pasen by the weiye, You that pass by the way, From flore to here, From floor to shroud, Abidet a little stounde. Stay a little while. From here to bere, From shroud to bier, Beholdet, all my felawes, Behold, all my fellows, From bere to putte, From bier to grave, Yef any me lik is founde. If any like me is found. And te putt fordut. And the grave will be closed up. To the Tre with nailes thre To the Tree with three nails Thanne lyd mine hus uppe mine nose. Then rests my house upon my nose. Wol fast I hange bounde; Most fast I hang bound; Of al this world ne give I it a pese! For the whole world I care not one jot. With a spere all thoru my side With a spear all through my side To mine herte is mad a wounde. To my heart is made a wound.

24 25 Track 1 Tracks 2 , 7 & 8 Track 3 Track 4 Tracks 5 & 9 – br Track 6 soprano Fiona Clarke Julie Cooper Julie Cooper soprano Ruth Dean soprano Fiona Clarke soprano Fiona Clarke Libby Crabtree Katy Hill Grace Davidson Carys Lane Libby Crabtree Ruth Dean Ruth Dean Kirsty Hopkins Sally Dunkley Alison Smart Ruth Dean Carys Lane Micaela Haslam Alexandra Kidgell Kirsty Hopkins Sally Dunkley Carys Lane Charlotte Mobbs Charlotte Mobbs mean Sally Dunkley Rosemary Hattrell mean Sally Dunkley Rebecca Outram Emilia Morton Emilia Morton Penny Vickers Lucinda Houghton Deborah Miles Johnson Julia White Julia White alto Deborah Miles-Johnson Ian Aitkenhead Ian Aitkenhead Philip Newton Daniel Collins David Clegg alto Andrew Giles alto Sarah Connolly alto Andrew Giles Christopher Royall Edward McMullan Edward McMullan Michael Lees Philip Newton Michael Lees Nigel Short Kim Porter Kim Porter Philip Newton Christopher Royall Philip Newton Christopher Royall Nigel Short Christopher Royall tenor Simon Berridge Simon Berridge Jeremy Budd Philip Daggett Jeremy Budd Joshua Cooter tenor Philip Daggett tenor Simon Berridge tenor Simon Berridge Neil MacKenzie Mark Dobell Mark Dobell Neil MacKenzie Andrew Carwood Philip Daggett Matthew Vine George Pooley George Pooley Nicolas Robertson Nicolas Robertson Neil MacKenzie David Roy Matthew Vine David Roy bass Simon Birchall Ben Davies Alex Ashworth Robert Evans Eamonn Dougan Ben Davies bass Simon Birchall bass Simon Birchall bass Simon Birchall Tim Jones Tim Jones Tim Jones Tim Jones Robert Evans Robert Evans Jeremy White Rob Macdonald Stuart Young Christopher Purves Tim Jones Tim Jones Francis Steele Jeremy White Francis Steele

26 27 Harry Christophers stands among today’s great champions He was appointed a CBE in the Queen’s 2012 Birthday Honours for his services to of choral music. In partnership with The Sixteen, the ensemble music. He is an Honorary Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, as well as the Royal he founded almost 40 years ago, he has set benchmark Welsh College of Music and Drama, and has Honorary Doctorates in Music from the standards for the performance of everything from late Universities of Leicester and Canterbury Christ Church. medieval polyphony to important new works by contemporary composers. His international influence is supported by more than 150 recordings and has been enhanced by his work as Artistic Director of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society and as guest conductor worldwide. Borggreve Marco Photograph:

The Sixteen’s soundworld, rich in tonal variety and expressive nuance, reflects Christophers’ determination to create a vibrant choral instrument from the blend of adult professional singers. Under his leadership The Sixteen has established its annual Choral Pilgrimage to cathedrals, Whether performing a simple churches and other UK venues, created the Sacred Music series for BBC television, and medieval hymn or expressing the developed an acclaimed period-instrument orchestra. Highlights of their recent work complex musical and emotional include an Artist Residency at Wigmore Hall, a large-scale tour of Monteverdi’s Vespers language of a contemporary of 1610, and the world premiere of James MacMillan’s Stabat mater; their future projects, choral composition, The Sixteen meanwhile, comprise a new series devoted to Purcell and an ongoing survey of Handel’s does so with qualities common dramatic oratorios. to all great ensembles. Tonal warmth, rhythmic precision and immaculate intonation are clearly essential to the Harry has served as Artistic Director of the Handel and Haydn Society since 2008. He mix. But it is the courage and intensity with which The Sixteen makes music that speak was also appointed as Principal Guest Conductor of the City of Granada Orchestra in above all to so many people. 2008 and has worked as guest conductor with, among others, the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and the The Sixteen gave its first concert in 1979 under the direction of Founder and Conductor Deutsches Kammerphilharmonie. Christophers’ extensive commitment to opera has Harry Christophers CBE. Their pioneering work since has made a profound impact embraced productions for English National Opera and Lisbon Opera and work with the on the performance of choral music and attracted a large new audience, not least as Granada, Buxton and Grange Park festivals. ‘The Voices of Classic FM’ and through BBC television’s Sacred Music series.

28 29 The voices and period-instrument players of The Sixteen are at home in over five Track 1 taken from COR16006, recorded 1991 centuries of music, a breadth reflected in their annual Choral Pilgrimage to Britain’s great Blest Cecilia cathedrals and sacred spaces, regular appearances at the world’s leading concert halls, and award-winning recordings for The Sixteen’s CORO and other labels. Track 3 taken from COR16134, recorded 2015 Poetry in Music Recent highlights include the world premiere of James MacMillan’s Stabat mater, 4 commissioned for The Sixteen by the Genesis Foundation, an ambitious ongoing series Track taken from COR16126, recorded 1991 of Handel oratorios, and a debut tour of China. The Rose and Ostrich Feather

Tracks 5 and 9 – br taken from COR16038, recorded 1993 Fen and Meadow

Track 6 taken from COR16122, recorded 1992 The Pillars of Eternity

Tracks 2 , 7 and 8 recorded at: St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London, 23 November 2017 Recording Producer: Mike Hatch (Floating Earth) Recording Engineer: Mark Brown Also available as a CD quality download at www.thesixteen.com

2018 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. © 2018 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. Cover image: Detail from The Garden of Earthly Delights 1490-1500 Made in Great Britain (oil on panel), Hieronymus Bosch, (c.1450-1516) / For further information about recordings on CORO or live performances and tours by The Sixteen, call: +44 (0) 20 7936 3420 or email: [email protected] Prado, Madrid, / Bridgeman Images Design: Andrew Giles: [email protected]

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