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Sounds & Sweet Airs - A Shakespeare Songbook / Sampson, Williams, Middleton
BIS

Sounds & Sweet Airs - A Shakespeare Songbook / Sampson, Williams, Middleton

$21.99

Details

Composer
Thomas Arne, Amy Beach, Frank Bridge, Benjamin Britten, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Samuel Coleridge-
Artist
Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Aug 04, 2023
Catalog #
BIS-2653
UPC
7318599926537

About

The 37 songs in this recital, written by 27 composers – male, female, English, French, Swiss, German, Romantic, modern and contemporary – bear witness to the richness of Shakespeare’s works to which this recital is dedicated. Organised in the form of a play in five acts, including prologue and epilogue, the songs, which include several duets, are in turn cheerful and sad, light and profound, classical and jazzy – thus allowing, in Carolyn Sampson’s words, ‘a breadth of responses to these great texts’. Alongside well-known melodies, such as those by Schubert, there are musical adaptations by different composers of the same texts, as well as a contemporary reflection for the two voices by Hannah Kendall exploring the question of gender fluidity and identity through the elusive character of Rosalind from As You Like It.

After many acclaimed releases on BIS, including Album für die Frau, a collection of songs by Clara and Robert Schumann, A Soprano’s Schubertiade and Elysium, two Schubert recitals, as well as a number of themed recitals, some of which were named ‘Recording of the Month’ by MusicWeb International and ‘CD-Tipp’ by BR Klassik, Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton are joined here by renowned British baritone Roderick Williams.

REVIEW:

Soprano Carolyn Sampson and baritone Roderick Williams are prolific singers who can handle almost any kind of repertory but have a strong connection to the English tradition from the Baroque to the 20th century. It would be hard to imagine better singers for this collection of Shakespeare songs, for on one hand, Shakespeare settings are about as traditional as one can get, while on the other, this is an exceptionally diverse collection. Listeners unaware that Haydn set Shakespeare should make it their business to hear Sampson in She never told her love, as soon as possible. There are settings of German Shakespeare translations by Schubert, Schumann, and Hugo Wolf, a French one by Arthur Honegger, and an entrancing English-language Fancy by Poulenc. This album represents, in short, an embarrassment of riches, and it is one of the finest Shakespeare song releases to come along in quite some time.

-- AllMusic.com (James Manheim)

CONTENTS:

    • Ireland: Full fathom five
    • Vaughan Williams: Dirge for Fidele
    • Moeran: The Lover and his Lass
    • Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Arise, "Sea Murmurs"
    • Smith, J C: You spotted snakes
    • Tippett: Songs for Ariel
    • Arne: Under the Greenwood Tree
    • Gurney: Under the greenwood tree
    • Parry: Sonnet LXXXVII
    • Ireland: When daffodils begin to peer
    • Haydn: She Never Told Her Love, Hob. XXVIa:34
    • Schubert: An Silvia, D 106
    • Schubert: Ständchen 'Horch! Horch! die Lerch!', D889
    • Schubert: Trinklied D888
    • Schumann: Schlusslied des Narren, Op.127 No. 5
    • Wolf, H: Lied des transferierten Zettel
    • Cornelius: Komm herbei, Tod, Op.16 No. 3
    • Frances-Hoad: Rosalind
    • Poulenc: Fancy
    • Britten: Fancie
    • Honegger: Deux Chants d'Ariel
    • Bridge: Blow, blow, thou winter wind
    • Dring: Take, O Take Those Lips Away
    • Dankworth: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
    • Horder: Under the greenwood tree
    • Coleridge-Taylor: The Willow Song
    • Beach, A: Fairy Lullaby
    • Williams, Roderick: Sigh no More, Ladies
    • Sullivan, A: Orpheus with his Lute

Tracklist 37 tracks

  1. 1 Full Fathom Five 01:14
    Track
    1
    Title
    Full Fathom Five
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    John Ireland
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  2. 2 Dirge for Fidele 03:55
    Track
    2
    Title
    Dirge for Fidele
    Duration
    03:55
    Composer
    Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  3. 3 The Lover and His Lass (version for 2 voices and piano) 01:39
    Track
    3
    Title
    The Lover and His Lass (version for 2 voices and piano)
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Ernest John Moeran
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  4. 4 33 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 24: Book 6: No. 2. Arise 01:24
    Track
    4
    Title
    33 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 24: Book 6: No. 2. Arise
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  5. 5 The Fairies: You Spotted Snakes (arr. R. Graves for 2 voices and piano) 01:53
    Track
    5
    Title
    The Fairies: You Spotted Snakes (arr. R. Graves for 2 voices and piano)
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    John Christopher Smith
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  6. 6 No. 1. Come unto these Yellow Sands 01:55
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 1. Come unto these Yellow Sands
    Duration
    01:55
    Composer
    Michael Tippett
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  7. 7 No. 2. Full Fathom Five 01:55
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 2. Full Fathom Five
    Duration
    01:55
    Composer
    Michael Tippett
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  8. 8 No. 3. Where the Bee Sucks 01:10
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 3. Where the Bee Sucks
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Michael Tippett
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  9. 9 As You Like It: Under the Greenwood Tree (version for voice and piano) 02:13
    Track
    9
    Title
    As You Like It: Under the Greenwood Tree (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    02:13
    Composer
    Thomas Augustine Arne
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  10. 10 5 Elizabethan Songs: No. 3. Under the Greenwood Tree 01:43
    Track
    10
    Title
    5 Elizabethan Songs: No. 3. Under the Greenwood Tree
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    Ivor Gurney
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  11. 11 4 Sonnets: No. 2. Sonnet 87, "Farewell, Though Art Too Dear" 03:27
    Track
    11
    Title
    4 Sonnets: No. 2. Sonnet 87, "Farewell, Though Art Too Dear"
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Hubert Parry
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  12. 12 Songs of a Wayfarer: No. 2. When Daffodils Begin to Peer 02:02
    Track
    12
    Title
    Songs of a Wayfarer: No. 2. When Daffodils Begin to Peer
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    John Ireland
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  13. 13 6 Original Canzonettas, Book 2, Hob.XXVIa:31-36: No. 4. She Never Told Her Love, Hob.XXVIa:34 03:56
    Track
    13
    Title
    6 Original Canzonettas, Book 2, Hob.XXVIa:31-36: No. 4. She Never Told Her Love, Hob.XXVIa:34
    Duration
    03:56
    Composer
    Franz Joseph Haydn
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  14. 14 Gesang, Op. 106, No. 4, D. 891, "An Sylvia" (Who is Sylvia) 02:44
    Track
    14
    Title
    Gesang, Op. 106, No. 4, D. 891, "An Sylvia" (Who is Sylvia)
    Duration
    02:44
    Composer
    Franz Schubert
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  15. 15 Ständchen, D. 889, "Hark, hark, the lark" (Horch, horch! die Lerch) 01:47
    Track
    15
    Title
    Ständchen, D. 889, "Hark, hark, the lark" (Horch, horch! die Lerch)
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Franz Schubert
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  16. 16 Trinklied, D. 888 01:17
    Track
    16
    Title
    Trinklied, D. 888
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Franz Schubert
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  17. 17 5 Lieder und Gesänge, Op. 127: No. 5. Schlusslied des Narren 00:58
    Track
    17
    Title
    5 Lieder und Gesänge, Op. 127: No. 5. Schlusslied des Narren
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  18. 18 4 Gedichte nach Heine, Shakespeare und Lord Byron: No. 2. Lied des transferierten Zettel 00:51
    Track
    18
    Title
    4 Gedichte nach Heine, Shakespeare und Lord Byron: No. 2. Lied des transferierten Zettel
    Duration
    00:51
    Composer
    Hugo Wolf
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  19. 19 Duette, Op. 16: No. 3. Komm herbei, Tod 02:58
    Track
    19
    Title
    Duette, Op. 16: No. 3. Komm herbei, Tod
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Peter Cornelius
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  20. 20 2 Shakespeare Songs: No. 2. They Bore him Barefaced on a Bier 03:20
    Track
    20
    Title
    2 Shakespeare Songs: No. 2. They Bore him Barefaced on a Bier
    Duration
    03:20
    Composer
    Cheryl Frances-Hoad
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  21. 21 No. 1. Here is a space. 03:28
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 1. Here is a space.
    Duration
    03:28
    Composer
    Hannah Kendall
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  22. 22 No. 2. all love is a lunacy 02:57
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 2. all love is a lunacy
    Duration
    02:57
    Composer
    Hannah Kendall
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  23. 23 No. 3. …no expanation is needed - 02:14
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 3. …no expanation is needed -
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    Hannah Kendall
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  24. 24 No. 4. Take my fear take my feeling - 04:03
    Track
    24
    Title
    No. 4. Take my fear take my feeling -
    Duration
    04:03
    Composer
    Hannah Kendall
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  25. 25 No. 5. You do not get to dress me anymore. 01:20
    Track
    25
    Title
    No. 5. You do not get to dress me anymore.
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Hannah Kendall
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  26. 26 Fancy, FP 174 02:15
    Track
    26
    Title
    Fancy, FP 174
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  27. 27 Fancie (version for voice and piano) 00:52
    Track
    27
    Title
    Fancie (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Benjamin Britten
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  28. 28 No. 1. Venez jusqu'à ces sables d'or 02:51
    Track
    28
    Title
    No. 1. Venez jusqu'à ces sables d'or
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  29. 29 No. 2. Où butine l'abeille 00:39
    Track
    29
    Title
    No. 2. Où butine l'abeille
    Duration
    00:39
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  30. 30 Blow, Blow thou Winter Wind 01:50
    Track
    30
    Title
    Blow, Blow thou Winter Wind
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Frank Bridge
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  31. 31 7 Shakespeare Songs: No. 5. Take, O Take Those Lips Away 03:42
    Track
    31
    Title
    7 Shakespeare Songs: No. 5. Take, O Take Those Lips Away
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Madeleine Dring
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  32. 32 Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day? 02:36
    Track
    32
    Title
    Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    John Dankworth
    Performer
    Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  33. 33 7 Shakespeare Songs: No. 1. Under the Greenwood Tree 01:20
    Track
    33
    Title
    7 Shakespeare Songs: No. 1. Under the Greenwood Tree
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Mervyn Horder
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  34. 34 Othello, Op. 79: No. 4. The Willow Song (version for voice and piano) 02:28
    Track
    34
    Title
    Othello, Op. 79: No. 4. The Willow Song (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    02:28
    Composer
    Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  35. 35 3 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 37: No. 3. Fairy Lullaby (version for voice and piano) 02:04
    Track
    35
    Title
    3 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 37: No. 3. Fairy Lullaby (version for voice and piano)
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Amy Beach
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
  36. 36 Sigh no More, Ladies 00:59
    Track
    36
    Title
    Sigh no More, Ladies
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Roderick Williams
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton
  37. 37 5 Shakespeare Songs: No. 1. Orpheus with his Lute (arr. R. Williams for 2 voices and piano) 03:11
    Track
    37
    Title
    5 Shakespeare Songs: No. 1. Orpheus with his Lute (arr. R. Williams for 2 voices and piano)
    Duration
    03:11
    Composer
    Arthur Sullivan
    Performer
    Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Joseph Middleton