Prices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.)
See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Stanford: Songs - 2
“Stanford's Songs of the Sea have kept the British baritone afloat for the best part of a century.
Drake's hammock and the barnacles of The Old Superb used to be familiar in parlours and drawing- rooms throughout the land. The cries of Captain Keats and his crew ('“Ship ahoy!” a hundred times a day'), the alliterative mysteries of 'Fetter and Faith … Faggot and Father' and the assurance that Drake even now was 'ware and waking' were assimilated almost as the words of folksongs, while the music seemed part of our flesh and blood. They are splendid songs, and the set of five constitutes a small masterpiece.
Sceptical readers should try them again in this new recording. Stephen Varcoe and Clifford Benson give a most sensitive performance, not emasculated but treating them thoughtfully.
The two quieter songs, 'Outward Bound' and 'Homeward Bound', become more central, better integrated, than usual, and the very fact that this is the solo version, without the male-voice chorus added later, makes it easier to hear them (the whole set) as a personal utterance. With 'Drake's Drum', for instance, Varcoe is very intent upon seeing sense, where others have often sought for little beyond a generalised patriotic earnestness. These, perhaps, are TheSongs of the Sea as Captain Edward Fairfax Vere might have sung them.
In reviewing the first volume, Michael Oliver wrote of the difficulty of reconciling the Irishman and the Brahmsian in Stanford: the melodic vein of the one seemed at odds with the harmonic language of the other. The occasions here when a dichotomy of style does cause trouble are found in the Songs of Faith. Whitman's auto-intoxication incites Stanford to indulge in grandiose gestures that aren't natural to him at all. He's much more at home with Shakespeare and Dekker, or, for that matter, with Quiller-Couch and Winifred M Letts, whose A Fire of Turf provides him with poems for some masterly settings. All are beautifully performed by these excellent artists.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Fairy Songs
Charlotte de Rothschild (soprano) & Danielle Perrett (harp) I have always believed in magic and have loved tales of mystical beings ever since my beloved Scottish nanny introduced me to a world of wonder when I was little. I have been gathering this collection of fairy songs together for a while now and I am grateful for the inspiration of Katsuyo Watanabe who introduced me to the Fairy Museum in Japan a few years ago. The harp was the perfect choice to accompany these songs and Danielle has skilfully adapted the piano accompaniments for her instrument. I have chosen to use settings of poetry by late 19th and 20th Century composers. Some of these were no doubt inspired by the pre-Raphaelite movement of Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti as was Stanford in his setting of John Keats’ La Belle Dame sans Merci. Charlotte de Rothschild | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Songs of the British Isles
Recorded 1949-1952 | | | (also available to download from $8.75) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
|
|
| |  | A Sheaf of Songs from Ireland
Bernadette Greevy (mezzo), Hugh Tinney (piano) | | | (also available to download from $8.75) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
|
|
| |  | English Orchestral Songs
| | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |  | JS Bach: Mass in B minorand recitals by Kathleen Ferrier
Bach, J S: | Mass in B minor, BWV232 Recorded off-air from a live radio broadcast on 15th June 1950 (missing passages patched from the 1952 studio recording) Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), Kathleen Ferrier (contralto), Walter Ludwig (tenor), Paul Schöffler (bass) Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Singverein, Herbert von Karajan | Brahms: | Vier ernste Gesänge, Op. 121 Recorded off-air from a BBC broadcast on 12th January 1949 BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent | Bridge: | Go Not, Happy Day | Handel: | Come alla tortorella langue (from Atalanta) sung in English as 'Like as the love-lorn turtle' Cangio d'aspetto (from Admeto) sung in English as 'How changed the vision' | Jensen, A: | Altar | Parry: | Love is a bable, Op. 152 No. 3 | Purcell: | Hark! The Echoing Air (from The Fairy Queen, Z629) From silent shades ('Bess of Bedlam') Z370 arr. Britten | Stanford: | The Fairy Lough Op. 77 No. 2, from An Irish Idyll in Six Miniatures (1901) A soft day | trad.: | Come you not from Newcastle Kitty my love | Vaughan Williams: | Silent Noon | Warlock: | Sleep Pretty Ring Time | Wolf, H: | Verborgenheit (No. 12 from Mörike-Lieder) Der Gärtner (No. 17 from Mörike-Lieder) Auf ein altes Bild (No. 23 from Mörike-Lieder) Fussreise (No. 10 from Mörike-Lieder) |
| | | Usually despatched in 8 - 10 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Kathleen Ferrier: When the Voice Finds Wings to Fly
| | Folk Songs Phyllis Spurr (piano), John Newmark (piano), Frederick Stone (piano) | Bach, J S: | St Matthew Passion, BWV244 (excerpts) Elsie Suddaby (soprano), Kathleen Ferrier (contralto), Eric Greene (tenor),
William Parsons (bass) The Bach Choir, The Jacques Orchestra, Reginald Jacques Mass in B minor, BWV232: Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult Mass in B minor, BWV232: Agnus Dei London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult St John Passion, BWV245: Es ist vollbracht sung in English as 'All is fulfilled' London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult St Matthew Passion, BWV244: Buss und Reu sung in English as 'Grief for Sin' London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult St Matthew Passion, BWV244: Erbarme dich sung in English as 'Have mercy, Lord' National Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Aria No. 10 "Ah Tarry Yet" from Cantata BWV11 The Jacques Orchestra, Reginald Jacques | Brahms: | Two songs for contralto with viola obbligato, Op. 91 Phyllis Spurr (piano), Max Gilbert (viola) | Gluck: | Orfeo ed Euridice -abridged version Ann Ayars, Zoë Vlachopoulos (sopranos) Southern Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, Fritz Stiedry | Greene, M: | O praise the Lord Gerald Moore (piano) I will lay me down in peace Gerald Moore (piano) | Handel: | Frondi tenere e belle ... Ombra mai fù (from Serse) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Art thou troubled? (from Rodelinda) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Spring is coming (from Ottone) Gerald Moore (piano) Come to me, soothing sleep (from Ottone) Gerald Moore (piano) Samson: Return, O God of hosts London Philharmonic Orchestra Messiah: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion London Philharmonic Orchestra Judas Maccabaeus: Father of Heaven London Philharmonic Orchestra Messiah: He was despised London Philharmonic Orchestra | Mahler: | Das Lied von der Erde Julius Patzak (tenor) Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter Kindertotenlieder Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (Rückert-Lieder) Ich atmet' einen linden Duft (Rückert-Lieder) Um Mitternacht (Rückert-Lieder) Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter | Pergolesi: | Stabat Mater The Boyd Neel Orchestra, Boyd Neel | Purcell: | Sound the trumpet, beat the drum, Z335 London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Let us Wander not Unseen (from The Indian Queen, Z630) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Shepherd, shepherd, cease decoying (from King Arthur) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent | Schubert: | Gretchen am Spinnrade, D118 An die Musik D547 Die junge Nonne, D828 Der Musensohn, D764 (Goethe) Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Schumann: | Frauenliebe und -leben, Op. 42 John Newmark (piano) Volksliedchen, Op. 51 No. 2 Widmung, Op. 25 No. 1 John Newmark (piano) | Stanford: | A soft day The Fairy Lough Op. 77 No. 2, from An Irish Idyll in Six Miniatures (1901) | Vaughan Williams: | Silent Noon | Wolf, H: | Verborgenheit (No. 12 from Mörike-Lieder) Der Gärtner (No. 17 from Mörike-Lieder) Auf ein altes Bild (No. 23 from Mörike-Lieder) Auf einer Wanderung (No. 15 from Mörike-Lieder) Phyllis Spurr (piano) |
The centenary of the birth of the extraordinary British contralto Kathleen Ferrier, a singer who became a legend after her untimely death in 1952, is marked by a 10-CD set on the Documents label. These recordings from her all-too-short career present an outstanding artist who with her inspired singing and her legendary, darkly warm timbre achieved immortality. Many of the recordings featured have become benchmarks, in particular her interpretations of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde and Kindertotenlieder. Her Brahms, Schubert, Schumann and Wolf are evidence that she was a great Lied singer. The set also includes sacred works by Pergolesi, Handel and Bach, together with a complete recording of Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice, as well as her wonderful interpretations of the traditional songs of her native country, sung with lightness of touch and devotion in equal measure. “It’s somewhat of a mish-mash of a collection yet gives a good idea of the breadth of Ferrier’s repertoire at an inexpensive price...Those who are testing the water when it comes to Kathleen Ferrier might be at a loss without any background information to put her into context as Britain’s greatest lyric contralto of the twentieth century but on the other hand the voice ‘says’ it all.” MusicWeb International, November 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Kathleen Ferrier: The Complete Decca RecordingsCentenary Edition
Bach, J S: | St Matthew Passion, BWV244 (excerpts) ed. Elgar and Atkins; transl. Troutbeck and Johnson Elsie Suddaby (soprano), Kathleen Ferrier (contralto), Eric Greene (tenor), William Parsons (baritone), Osborne Peasgood (organ), Thornton Lofthouse (harpsichord) The Bach Choir, The Jacques Orchestra, Reginald Jacques Cantata BWV67 'Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ' Ena Mitchell (soprano), William Herbert (tenor), William Parsons (bass),
Thornton Lofthouse (harpsichord continuo), Wilfred Parry (piano) The Jacques Orchestra, The Cantata Singers, Reginald Jacques Ascension Oratorio 'Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen', BWV11 Ena Mitchell (soprano), William Herbert (tenor), William Parsons (bass),
Thornton Lofthouse (harpsichord continuo), Wilfred Parry (piano) The Jacques Orchestra, The Cantata Singers, Reginald Jacques Erbarm' dich mein, o Herre gott, BWV305 sung in English as 'Have mercy, Lord' David McCallum (violin) National Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Vergiss mein nicht, BWV505 Millicent Silver (harpsichord) Ach, dass nicht die letze Stunde BWV439 Millicent Silver (harpsichord) Bist du bei mir, BWV508 John Newmark (piano) Mass in B minor, BWV232: Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris Michael Dobson (oboe d’amore) St Matthew Passion, BWV244: Buss und Reu sung in English as 'Grief for sin' London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult St John Passion, BWV245: Es ist vollbracht sung in English as 'All is fulfilled' Ambrose Gauntlett (viola da gamba) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult Mass in B minor, BWV232: Agnus Dei Basil Lam (harpsichord continuo) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult | Brahms: | Sapphische Ode, Op. 94 No. 4 Phyllis Spurr (piano) Botschaft, Op. 47 No. 1 Phyllis Spurr (piano) Vier ernste Gesänge, Op. 121 orch. Sargent; transl. England BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53 London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir (men’s voices), Clemens Krauss Two songs for contralto with viola obbligato, Op. 91 Phyllis Spurr (piano), Max Gilbert (viola) Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 52 Irmgard Seefried (soprano), Julius Patzak (tenor), Horst Günter (bass-baritone)
(Clifford Curzon, Hans Gál piano duet) Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer, Op. 105 No. 2 Bruno Walter (piano) Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht, Op. 96 No. 1 Bruno Walter (piano) Botschaft, Op. 47 No. 1 Bruno Walter (piano) Von ewiger Liebe, Op. 43 No. 1 Bruno Walter (piano) Neue Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 65 Irmgard Seefried (soprano), Julius Patzak (tenor), Horst Günter (bass-baritone), Clifford Curzon, Hans Gál (piano duet) | Bridge: | Go Not, Happy Day Frederick Stone (piano) | Britten: | Spring Symphony, Op. 44 Jo Vincent (soprano), Peter Pears (tenor) Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Netherlands Radio Choir, The Boys’ Choir of St Willibrorduskerk, Rotterdam, Eduard van Beinum O Waly, Waly Frederick Stone (piano) Come ye not from Newcastle? Frederick Stone (piano) O Waly, Waly Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Chausson: | Poème de l'amour et de la mer, Op. 19 Hallé Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli | Ferguson, H: | Discovery, Op. 13 Ernest Lush (piano) | Gluck: | Orfeo ed Euridice -abridged version Kathleen Ferrier (Orfeo), Ann Ayars (Euridice), Zoë Vlachopoulos (Amor) Southern Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, Fritz Stiedry What is life? (Orfeo ed Euridice) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent | Gruber, F: | Silent Night The Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Boyd Neel | Handel: | Art thou troubled? (from Rodelinda) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Frondi tenere e belle ... Ombra mai fù (from Serse) London Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent Come alla tortorella langue (from Atalanta) sung in English as 'Like as the love-lorn turtle' Phyllis Spurr (piano) Cangio d'aspetto (from Admeto) sung in English as 'How changed the vision' Phyllis Spurr (piano) Samson: Return, O God of hosts Basil Lam (harpsichord continuo) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult Messiah: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion Basil Lam (harpsichord continuo) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult Judas Maccabaeus: Father of Heaven Basil Lam (harpsichord continuo) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult Messiah: He was despised Basil Lam (harpsichord continuo) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult | Jensen, A: | Altar Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Mahler: | Symphony No. 2 in C minor 'Resurrection' Jo Vincent (soprano) Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam Tonkunst Choir, Otto Klemperer Kindertotenlieder Concertgebouw Orchestra, Otto Klemperer Das Lied von der Erde Julius Patzak (tenor) Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (Rückert-Lieder) Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter Ich atmet' einen linden Duft (Rückert-Lieder) Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter Um Mitternacht (Rückert-Lieder) Wiener Philharmoniker, Bruno Walter | Mendelssohn: | Elijah: Woe unto them The Boyd Neel Orchestra, Boyd Neel Elijah: O rest in the Lord The Boyd Neel Orchestra, Boyd Neel | Parry: | Love is a bable, Op. 152 No. 3 Frederick Stone (piano) | Pergolesi: | Stabat Mater Joan Taylor (soprano) Nottingham Oriana Choir, The Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Roy Henderson | Purcell: | From silent shades ('Bess of Bedlam') Z370 arr. Britten Phyllis Spurr (piano) Hark! The Echoing Air (from The Fairy Queen, Z629) Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Quilter: | Now sleeps the crimson petal, Op. 3 No. 2 (Tennyson) Phyllis Spurr (piano) The Fair House of Joy Phyllis Spurr (piano) To Daisies, Op. 8 No. 3 Phyllis Spurr (piano) Over the Mountains Phyllis Spurr (piano) Ye banks and braes Phyllis Spurr (piano) Drink to me only Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Rubbra: | Psalms (3), Op. 81 Ernest Lush (piano) | Schubert: | Gretchen am Spinnrade, D118 Phyllis Spurr (piano) Die junge Nonne, D828 Phyllis Spurr (piano) An die Musik D547 Phyllis Spurr (piano) Der Musensohn, D764 (Goethe) Phyllis Spurr (piano) Ganymed, D544 (Goethe) Benjamin Britten (piano) Du liebst mich nicht D756 (Platen) Benjamin Britten (piano) Lachen und Weinen, D777 Benjamin Britten (piano) Die junge Nonne, D828 Bruno Walter (piano) Rosamunde, D797: Romance 'Der Vollmond Strahlt auf Bergeshöh'n' Bruno Walter (piano) Du liebst mich nicht D756 (Platen) Bruno Walter (piano) Der Tod und das Mädchen, D531 Bruno Walter (piano) Suleika I, D720 Bruno Walter (piano) Du bist die Ruh D776 (Rückert) Bruno Walter (piano) | Schumann: | Frauenliebe und -leben, Op. 42 John Newmark (piano) Volksliedchen, Op. 51 No. 2 John Newmark (piano) Widmung, Op. 25 No. 1 John Newmark (piano) Frauenliebe und -leben, Op. 42 Bruno Walter (piano) | Stanford: | The Fairy Lough Op. 77 No. 2, from An Irish Idyll in Six Miniatures (1901) Frederick Stone (piano) A soft day Frederick Stone (piano) | trad.: | Kitty my love arr. Hughes Frederick Stone (piano) Ma bonny lad Phyllis Spurr (piano) The Keel Row Phyllis Spurr (piano) Blow the Wind Southerly Phyllis Spurr (piano) I have a bonnet trimmed with blue Phyllis Spurr (piano) My boy Willie Phyllis Spurr (piano) I know where I'm going Phyllis Spurr (piano) The fidgety bairn John Newmark (piano) I will walk with my love Phyllis Spurr (piano) Ca' the yowes John Newmark (piano) Willow, willow Phyllis Spurr (piano) The stuttering lovers Phyllis Spurr (piano) Have you seen but the whyte lillie grow Phyllis Spurr (piano) Down by the Salley Gardens arr. Hughes Phyllis Spurr (piano) The lover's curse Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Vaughan Williams: | Silent Noon Frederick Stone (piano) | Wade: | O come, all ye faithful The Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Boyd Neel | Warlock: | Sleep Frederick Stone (piano) Pretty Ring Time Frederick Stone (piano) | Wolf, H: | Verborgenheit (No. 12 from Mörike-Lieder) Phyllis Spurr (piano) Der Gärtner (No. 17 from Mörike-Lieder) Phyllis Spurr (piano) Auf ein altes Bild (No. 23 from Mörike-Lieder) Phyllis Spurr (piano) Auf einer Wanderung (No. 15 from Mörike-Lieder) Phyllis Spurr (piano) | Wordsworth: | Songs (3), Op. 5 Ernest Lush (piano) |
22nd April 2012 marks 100th anniversary of the birth of Kathleen Ferrier. Kathleen Ferrier was born on 22 April 1912 and died at the age of forty-one on 8 October 1953. She was an artist held in awe and affection by numerous colleagues and countless fans worldwide and her reputation is undiminished to this day. A true contralto, whose repertory encompassed English song as well as German Lieder, her recording of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Vienna Philharmonic under Bruno Walter [and tenor Julius Patzak] is one of the most celebrated classical recordings of all time and has been a staple of the Decca catalogue since it was first released in 1952. The majority of Ferrier’s studio recordings were made for DECCA and many from broadcast sources have also been published by DECCA. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Kathleen Ferrier’s birth the DECCA legacy is brought together in a comprehensive 14-CD set with a bonus DVD. All the recordings have been remastered for this anniversary edition and will further demonstrate the unique qualities of this much-loved artist. Also included is 'What the Edinburgh Festival has meant to me' - a talk given by Ferrier on 11th September 1949 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |
|
