Songs By Roger Quilter | Roger Quilter, Malcolm Martineau, ...

Songs By Roger Quilter | Roger Quilter, Malcolm Martineau, ... | Archetypical English Art Songs

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	Songs By Roger Quilter Roger Quilter, Malcolm Martineau, ... Hyperion UK, 1996 average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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Unexpected pleasure

This is an interesting recital of songs, not all of them first-rate, but I find I go back to it again and again. Martineau is a sensitive, intelligent accompanist. John Mark Ainsley treats each song, and his audience, with respect. At no stage do you get the idea the singer is more important than the songs. The disc is worth it just for "Damask Roses" and "Brown is My Love" (slightly less than two and a half minutes between them)

Archetypical English Art Songs

'Songs by Roger Quilter', with its oh so appropriate William Morris patterned jacket art is, on the surface, exactly what you expect from the English art song. And, one's first reaction is 'Pretty, but not great'. But, then it starts to grow on you.

One of the biggest surprises is the fact that some of the least interesting pieces are based on Shakespeare's verses. And, some of the best are from poems translated from German into English.

Then, you get to the traditional 'Barbara Allen' and you start to appreciate the debt chamber music can owe to traditional folk tunes. And, you can appreciate from the similarities, the greatness of Stephen Foster, who did almost exactly the same kind of material as Quilter.

One can only wonder if Schubert's Lieder sound like these works to a native German. I think not. Schubert is still more 'beautiful', but Quilter is not a bad way to wile away an hour every once in a while.

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Comfort music

Vocal music majors will be familiar with Quilter's lovely art-songs, but what a pity they are not better known to the general music loving public. With their delightful melodies and emotionally expressive harmonies of the piano accompaniments grafted to texts by Shakespeare, Jonson,Shelley,Tennyson,Stevenson, and others, these songs are true comfort music -- all the more so as sung by the warm and sensitive lyric tenor of John Mark Ainsley. Just when you think Quilter couldn't possibly write a more beautiful and affecting song, wonders continue to follow wonders with each successive selection. The beauty of this music is truly addictive, and I never seem to tire of this CD. The more I listen, the more enchanted I am.

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Tracks
Shakespeare Songs (3) for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 6: I. Come away, death | Shakespeare Songs (3) for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 6: II. O mistress mine | Shakespeare Songs (3) for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 6: III. Blow, blow thou winter wind | Songs (4) of Mirza Schaffy, for voice & piano, Op. 2: I. Neig' schön Knospe Dich zu dir | Songs (4) of Mirza Schaffy, for voice & piano, Op. 2: II. Und was die Sonne glüht | Songs (4) of Mirza Schaffy, for voice & piano, Op. 2: III. Ich fühle Deinen Odem | Songs (4) of Mirza Schaffy, for voice & piano, Op. 2: IV. Die helle Sonne leuchtet | Songs (4), for voice & piano, Op. 14: No. 1, Autumn Evening | June, for voice & piano | September Songs (2), Op. 18/5-6: No. 5. Through the sunny garden | September Songs (2), Op. 18/5-6: No. 6. The Valley and the Hill | Arab Love Song for voice & piano, Op. 25/4 | Music, When Soft Voices die for voice & piano, Op. 25/5 | Songs (3), for voice & piano, Op. 3: No. 1, Love's Philosophy | Shakespeare Songs (5) for voice and piano, Op. 23: I. Fear no more the heat o' the sun | Shakespeare Songs (5) for voice and piano, Op. 23: II. Under the greenwood tree | Shakespeare Songs (5) for voice and piano, Op. 23: III. It was a lover and his lass | Shakespeare Songs (5) for voice and piano, Op. 23: IV. Take, O take those lips away | Shakespeare Songs (5) for voice and piano, Op. 23: V. Hey, ho, the wind and the rain | Songs (3), for voice & piano, Op. 3: No. 2, Now sleeps the crimson petal | Go, Lovely Rose for voice & piano, Op. 24/3 | Songs (4), for voice & piano, Op. 14: No. 3, A last year's Rose | Child Songs (4), Op. 5: I. A Good Child | Child Songs (4), Op. 5: II. The Lamplighter | Child Songs (4), Op. 5: III. Where go the boats? | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: I. Weep you no more | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: II. My Life's Delight | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: III. Damask Rose | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: IV. The faithless shepherdess | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: V. Brown is my Love | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: VI. By a Fountainside | Elizabethan Lyrics (7) for voice & piano, Op. 12: VII. Fair House of Joy | Old English Popular Songs: Drink to me only with thine eyes | Old English Popular Songs: Barbara Allen | Old English Popular Songs: Over the Mountains | Shakespeare Songs (4), Op. 30: I. Who is Sylvia? | Shakespeare Songs (4), Op. 30: II. When daffodils begin to peer | Shakespeare Songs (4), Op. 30: III. How should I your true love know? | Shakespeare Songs (4), Op. 30: IV. Sigh no more, ladies

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