572706bk Britten EU_572706bk Britten EU 02/06/2011 12:29 Page 1 Mark Wilde David Owen Norris The tenor Mark Wilde studied at the Royal College of Music in David Owen Norris studied in Oxford, London and Paris. He was London. His rôles have included Ferrando in Così fan tutte repetiteur at the Royal Opera House, harpist at the Royal BRITTEN (Glyndebourne), Frederic in Pirates of Penzance (ENO), Shakespeare Company, Artistic Director of Festivals in Cardiff Albert Herring (Perth Festival), Il Campanello (Buxton and Petworth, Chairman of the Steans Institute for Singers in Festival), Ottone in La Serenissima (BBC Radio 3), Jacquino Chicago, and the Gresham Professor of Music in London. He is in Fidelio (Glyndebourne Touring Opera), Seven Deadly Sins currently preparing a third series of his iPod programmes for Complete Scottish Songs (WNO), Cat in Jonathan Dove’s Pinocchio (Opera North), BBC Radio 4, and his current engagements include performances A Birthday Hansel • Who are these children? Ottavio in Don Giovanni (Mostly Mozart Festival), Male in Norway, Holland, France, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, and across Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia (European Opera Centre), the United States. His discography includes recordings of Giannetto in La gazza ladra (Garsington Opera), Rudolf in concertos by Elgar, Phillips, Arnell and Lambert, of the complete Mark Wilde, Tenor Euryanthe (Netherlands Opera), Ottavio, Alfredo in La travia- piano music of Elgar, Quilter and Dyson, Jane Austen’s music ta, Candide, and Idamante in Idomeneo (Birmingham Opera), collection, and many song collections, including the première Lucy Wakeford, Harp • David Owen Norris, Piano Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville (Savoy Theatre Photo: www.simonweir.com recording of Schubert’s first song-cycle, the Kosegarten Opera), Adelaide de Borgogna (Edinburgh International Liederspiel, and of Elgar’s last song. He is Professor of Musical Festival), Madwoman Curlew River (BBC Proms) and Performance at the University of Southampton. Albafiorita in Mirandolina (Garsington). His recordings include Handel’s Ode to St Cecilia’s Day for Naxos, a recital of songs for tenor and guitar on Docker Records, Arthur Sullivan’s The Golden Legend and The Prodigal Son for Hyperion. Opera Rara recordings include Binet in Offenbach’s Vert-Vert, Ricci’s Corrado d’Altamura and Donizetti’s Pia de’ Tolomeo. Lucy Wakeford Appointed principal harp of the Philharmonia Orchestra in 2002, Lucy Wakeford is one of the most outstanding harpists of her generation. Much in demand as a soloist, recitalist and ensemble player she has performed at major venues and festivals throughout Europe, appearing as guest artist with musicians including Roger Vignoles, John Mark Ainsley, Michael Chance, James Galway and the Belcea Quartet. She is principal harp of the Britten Sinfonia and harpist of the Nash Ensemble. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This recording was made possible by the generous funding and enthusiasm of Chris Ball, to whom the performers are eternally grateful. 8.572706 5 6 8.572706 572706bk Britten EU_572706bk Britten EU 02/06/2011 12:29 Page 2 Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) (The additional three songs are included as tracks 28 to there are many examples in the eight volumes that 30. It was Britten’s wish that they should be performed were published of Britten’s very personal stamp being Britten in Scotland: The Complete Scottish Settings Britten in Scotland: The Complete Scottish Settings as separate songs and were not to be incorporated into placed on familiar melodies. The eight volumes are The music and poetry of Scotland, like the Scottish Pears and harpist Osian Ellis and the audience for the the cycle itself). Hunting-calls in the ninth song and made up of five for voice and piano, an additional ™ A Birthday Hansel, Op. 92 * 19:28 Ca’ the yowes 5:02 people, has a two-fold origin. The first and oldest music first performance, as well as the dedicatee, included Her the wailing of air-raid sirens are the most obvious collection of previously unpublished settings which Robert Burns (1759–1796) Traditional Anon. of Scotland is that of the Highlands which has come Majesty the Queen, Princess Margaret, Lady Fermoy, examples of Britten’s unerring ability to imitate, appeared in 2001, and one volume each for voice and 1 I. Birthday Song 2:04 £ There’s none to soothe 1:49 down from the dim and shadowy period of early Benjamin Britten and Rita Thomson (Britten’s nurse). musically, “everyday” sounds. The tension is sustained guitar and voice and harp. The settings included on this 2 tradition, rather than from authentic history. The great A Celtic atmosphere pervades the cycle with the use throughout up to the devastation of the final song, The recording span the period from late 1942 until the late II. My Early Walk 4:55 Traditional Anon. ∞ 3 bulk of Highland song and ballad music is written in of characteristic inflexions of traditional Scottish folk Auld Aik (The old oak’s down). The last words from spring of 1976, The Bonny Earl o’ Moray and Bonny III. Wee Willie Gray 0:56 ¢ O can ye sew cushions? 2:21 § 4 minor keys and is more adapted to be sung to the harp, and dance music. The harp provides more than a simple the poem are “But noo it’s doun, doun”, but Britten at Morn . These arrangements show that Britten’s IV. My Hoggie 2:15 Traditional Anon. 5 rather than the bagpipes, or the piano. In the nineteenth accompaniment with a wide range of devices and effects added a final “doun” and, perhaps with a degree of creative genius could transform what are basically V. Afton Water 3:28 ∞ 6 The Bonny Earl o’ Moray 3:14 century Highland music became rare in the Highlands which complement the character of each song. The harp prescience or presentiment, said to Graham Johnson, simple melodies into works that repay repeated VI. The Winter 3:14 the accompanist, in 1971 that “it really is down, you hearings, from which something new emerges every 7 Traditional Anon. because of emigration, voluntary or compulsory, to the provides the necessary transition from song to song as VII. Leezie Lindsay 2:36 see; it’s the end of everything.” time. § Bonny at Morn * 4:03 United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. the cycle is performed as a continuous piece of music. It This was the last song cycle that Britten wrote for O that I’d ne’er been married is an example of Traditional Anon. The music of the Lowlands is that of a people who is hoped and assumed that the dedicatee was not taken Who are these children?, Op. 84 20:53 are more largely descended from Saxon, Danish and aback by the words “auld birkie” in the opening song. himself and Peter Pears to perform. Fortunately they Britten’s juvenilia, written about 1922, taking the ¶ William Soutar (1898–1943) Come you not from Newcastle? 1:19 Scandinavian, than from Celtic ancestors. It differs from The final song is marked “wild” and is splendidly were able to record it in November 1972, six months character of a parlour song. The setting of Louis 8 I. A Riddle (The Earth) 1:09 Traditional Anon. that of the Highlands, and is of another order of beauty. vigorous and reel-like – and makes no concession to the before Britten’s stroke put an end to his pianistic MacNeice’s Cradle Song, Sleep, my darling sleep, was 9 II. A Laddie’s Song 0:59 The Highlanders borrowed none of their melodies from ages of the dedicatee, the singer or the composer. This career. composed in September 1942, although its first • 0 III. Nightmare 2:26 Dawtie’s Devotion 1:12 the Lowlanders, but the Lowlanders borrowed so many was Britten’s final song-cycle. Unlike several composers, Britten was not a performance was not until 15th June 1992. The Ulster ! IV. Black Day 0:46 William Soutar (1898–1943) from the Highlanders that perhaps as many as half the After Britten’s death, Colin Matthews arranged four collector as such of folk-songs. He began to make Scots poet, the son of a Presbyterian minister, was arrangements when he was living in the United States probably known to Britten through a common @ V. Bed-time 1:17 ª The Gully 0:56 current Scottish tunes had their origin among the Gael. numbers for voice and piano and they were published, in the early 1940s, and may have been inspired by a friendship with his schoolfellow W. H. Auden. Very # VI. Slaughter 1:33 William Soutar (1898–1943) Benjamin Britten wrote few solo songs (apart from separately, as Four Burns Songs. They are included on $ his many folk-song arrangements) but his song cycles this recording so that a direct comparison can be made. sense of isolation from Britain or have wanted much in the style of the Cabaret Songs, it is more than VII. Riddle (The child you were) 1:07 º Tradition 0:52 repertoire that would bring a popular element into his probable that it was also written to be performed by % have enriched the vocal repertory so prolifically. Who are these children?, Op. 84, is a cycle of VIII. The Larky Lad 0:34 William Soutar (1898–1943) recitals with Peter Pears. Hedli Anderson, who married MacNeice in July 1942. ^ Although some of the cycles feature voice and twelve settings from a poem of the same name by IX. Who are these children? 2:21 Because he was not a “collector”, he was not & orchestra, none of the songs with piano, except for the William Soutar (1898–1943). It was composed in the X.