James Gilchrist "Leighton Earth, Sweet Earth…(laudes terrae) and Britten Winter Words" SACD

James Gilchrist "Leighton Earth, Sweet Earth…(laudes terrae) and Britten Winter Words" SACD

$19.99 Sale

Tenor James Gilchrist adds to his widely acclaimed series of albums celebrating British song with this programme by Kenneth Leighton and Benjamin Britten.  Alongside pianist Anna Tilbrook, Gilchrist excels in a programme that includes the first modern recording of Leighton's Earth, Sweet Earth and Britten's popular and touching song cycle Winter Words.

'...two profoundly beautiful twentieth-century English song-cycles performed by James Gilchrist.' International Record Review 

'His elegant voice is steady and tonally consistent over his entire range; and he uses it with grace, probing skill, and impeccable enunciation.' American Record Guide

Leighton's Earth, Sweet Earth was commissioned in memory of Peter Pears - tenor and life-long partner of Benjamin Britten. This is the first modern recording of this work since the original recording by Neil Mackie for whom the work was written. Earth, Sweet Earth requires astonishing virtuosity from both vocalist and pianist; the piano taking on an almost orchestral role in settings of text by Ruskin and Hopkins.

Britten wrote Winter Words for Peter Pears. Set to eight poems by Thomas Hardy, this is the composer's most popular song set. James Gilchrist emotively conveys one of Britten's favourite themes: the conflict between innocence and experience.

Tracklisting

  1. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - I. Prelude – There was no thought
  2. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - II. Inversnaid
  3. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - III. Contemplation – In the snow
  4. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - IV. The Ashtree
  5. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - V. Binsey Poplars
  6. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - VI. Hurrahing in Harvest
  7. Earth, Sweet Earth (Laudes Terrae), Op. 94 - VII. Ribblesdale
  8. Winter Words, Op. 52 - I. At Day-close in November
  9. Winter Words, Op. 52 - II. Midnight on the Great Western
  10. Winter Words, Op. 52 - III. Wagtail and Baby
  11. Winter Words, Op. 52 - IV. The Little Old Table
  12. Winter Words, Op. 52 - V. The Choirmaster’s Burial
  13. Winter Words, Op. 52 - VI. Proud Songsters ‘Thrushes, Finches and Nightingales’
  14. Winter Words, Op. 52 - VII. At the Railway Station, Upway
  15. Winter Words, Op. 52 - VIII. Before Life and After