Felicity Lott and Ann Murray perform songs from such varied sources as Monteverdi, Massenet and early 20th-century vaudeville.
Highlights include works by English songwriting brothers Henry and William Lawes, whose music flourished during the 17th century. William's "Gather ye rosebuds" is, with its irresistible lilt, among his finest dance songs.
Brahms' setting of "Weg der Liebe I" is given an exuberant reading that is well-suited to the "yodeling" style of the piece. "Auf dem See" begins and ends with an evocation of a rocking boat on the lake; in mid-song, the narrator bids his stormy heart to channel Nature's beauty in his song.
"Rêvons, c'est l'heure," one of Massenet's mélodies written at the turn of the 20th century, is the first-ever setting of a poem by Paul Verlaine, in whom Fauré and Debussy would later find poetic tonalities for their own use.
The height of British music-hall revues took place between 1880 and 1920, and Lott and Murray present a worthy sampling of British music-hall revues. The mildly risqué double entendres; catchy, jazzy melodies; simple harmonies and topical references in these selections are characteristic of the genre.
• Program •
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Full concert: To listen to this concert in its entirety, click the audio button on the right. To listen to an individual piece, select one of the buttons below. |
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1 |
Claudio Monteverdi "Bel pastor" (5:18) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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2 |
William Lawes "Gather ye rosebuds" (1:16) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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3 |
Henry Lawes "I prithee send me back my heart" (1:04) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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4 |
Henry Lawes "To a young courtier" (1:25) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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5 |
Claudio Monteverdi "Pur ti miro" from L'incoronazione di Poppea (6:12) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. about the piece: concert note (The New Kobbé's Opera Book) |
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6 |
Johannes Brahms "Weg der Liebe I," Op. 20, No. 1 (2:21) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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Johannes Brahms "Nachtigallen schwingen," Op. 6, No. 6 (2:26) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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Johannes Brahms "Weg der Liebe II," Op. 20, No. 2 (3:36) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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Johannes Brahms "Auf dem See," Op. 59, No. 2 (4:04) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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10 |
Johannes Brahms "Die Schwestern," Op. 61, No. 1 (1:50) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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Johannes Brahms "Die Boten der Liebe," Op. 61, No. 4 (3:10) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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12 |
Jules Massenet "L'heure solitaire" (4:05) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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13 |
Jules Massenet "Marche napolitaine" (2:35) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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14 |
Jules Massenet "Rêvons, c'est l'heure" (5:12) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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15 |
Jules Massenet "Première danse" (2:19) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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16 |
Jules Massenet "Souvenir de Venise" (2:09) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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17 |
various Songs from Music Hall and Vaudeville (41:45) Felicity Lott, soprano • Ann Murray, mezzo-soprano • Graham Johnson, piano Recorded at Wigmore Hall, London, 24 April 2002. |
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Wigmore Hall
© andante Corp. April 2002. All rights reserved.
