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date: February 21, 1982
For its initial concert, the Aldeburgh Connection engaged Canadian singers who had attended the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies, the summer programme in Aldeburgh where the Artistic Directors first met. The songs, mostly from the English repertoire, were favourites at the school and of its founders, Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten. The second half was entirely of music by Britten. Narrative fragments described the setting of the Aldeburgh Festival and some of its history. The concert was recorded and broadcast by CJRT Radio, Toronto’s classical music station.
Song | Artist | Composer | Poet |
---|---|---|---|
Sweet was the song the Virgin sang | Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Attey, John | anon. |
Sound the trumpet (Six Duets) | Marsh, Lois, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Purcell, Henry, real. Britten, Benjamin | Tate, Nahum ? |
Saul and the Witch at Endor | Marsh, Lois, soprano; McLean, James, tenor; Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Purcell, Henry, real. Britten, Benjamin | anon., after Samuel I 28 |
Im Frühling, D882 | Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Schubert, Franz | Schulze, Ernst |
Auflösung, D807 | McLean, James, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Schubert, Franz | Mayrhofer, Johann |
Licht und Liebe, D352 | Marsh, Lois, soprano; McLean, James, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Schubert, Franz | Collin, Matthäus von |
Rondo in A, D951 | Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Schubert, Franz | n/a |
Go not, happy day | Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Bridge, Frank | Tennyson, Alfred, Lord |
With rue my heart is laden (Bredon Hill and other songs) | Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Butterworth, George | Housman, Alfred Edward |
Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, Op.51 | Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; McLean, James, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Chester Miracle Play |
A Song of Enchantment (Tit for Tat) | Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Mare, Walter de la |
The Choirmaster’s Burial (or The Tenor Man’s Story), Op.52/5 (Winter Words) | McLean, James, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Hardy, Thomas |
The Plough Boy | McLean, James, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Shield, William, arr. Britten, Benjamin | anon. |
The trees they grow so high | Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Somerset folksong, arr. Britten, Benjamin | anon. |
Afton Water, Op.92/5 (A Birthday Hansel) | Marsh, Lois, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Burns, Robert |
My Hoggie, Op.92/4 (A Birthday Hansel) | Marsh, Lois, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Burns, Robert |
Tiny’s Song (Paul Bunyan) | Marsh, Lois, soprano; McLean, James, tenor; Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Auden, Wystan Hugh |
Tell me the truth about love (Cabaret Songs) | Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Auden, Wystan Hugh |
Funeral Blues (Cabaret Songs) | Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Auden, Wystan Hugh |
Johnny (Cabaret Songs) | Marsh, Lois, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Auden, Wystan Hugh |
Calypso (Cabaret Songs) | Marsh, Lois, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; McLean, James, tenor; Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Britten, Benjamin | Auden, Wystan Hugh |
Oliver Cromwell – ENCORE | Marsh, Lois, soprano; Robbin, Catherine, mezzo; McLean, James, tenor; Neff, Daniel, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Suffolk folksong, arr. Britten, Benjamin | anon. |