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Self-Portraits | London Regional Art Gallery, London, ON
Portraits of their creators in music

date: November 12 & 13, 1983

The concert, presented twice on one weekend, was commissioned by the London Regional Art Gallery to coincide with its fine exhibit of Canadian self-portraits, The Hand Holding the Brush.  Our choice of music ranged more widely, from the early 17th century, through the German lieder repertoire to the recent past.  Some composers who were demonstrably portraying themselves included Bull, Wolf and Elgar.  Others, such as Dowland, Schumann, Wagner and Coward drew thinly disguised self-portraits.  Two little-known songs in the second half were excerpts from Argento’s “From the Diary of Virginia Woolf”.

Song Artist Composer Poet
A wandering minstrel I (The Mikado) Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Sullivan, Sir Arthur Gilbert, Sir William Schwenck
Doctor Bulls my selfe – A Gigge Ralls, Stephen, piano Bull, John n/a
In darkness let me dwell (A Musical Banquet) Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Dowland, John anon.
Ganymed, D544 Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Schubert, Franz Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Der Atlas, D957/8 Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Schubert, Franz Heine, Heinrich
Eusebius, Op.9/5 (Carnaval) Ralls, Stephen, piano Schumann, Robert n/a
Florestan, Op.9/6 (Carnaval) Ralls, Stephen, piano Schumann, Robert n/a
Morgens steh’ ich auf, Op.24/1 (Heine-Liederkreis) Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Schumann, Robert Heine, Heinrich
Mit Myrthen und Rosen, Op.24/9 (Heine-Liederkreis) Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Schumann, Robert Heine, Heinrich
Schmerzen (Wesendonck-Lieder) Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Wagner, Richard Wesendonck, Mathilde
Träume (Wesendonck-Lieder) Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Wagner, Richard Wesendonck, Mathilde
Finale, ‘E.D.U.’ (Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma), Op.36) Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Elgar, Sir Edward n/a
INTERMISSION
If you give me your attention (Princess Ida) Ubukata, Bruce, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Sullivan, Sir Arthur Gilbert, Sir William Schwenck
A Hymne to God the Father Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Humfrey, Pelham, real. Tippett, Sir Michael / Bergmann, Walter Donne, John
Auch kleine Dinge können uns entzücken (Italienisches Liederbuch) Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Wolf, Hugo anon. Italian, trans. Heyse, Paul
Abschied (Mörike-Lieder) Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Wolf, Hugo Mörike, Eduard
Hardy’s Funeral (January, 1928) (From the Diary of Virginia Woolf) Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Argento, Dominick Woolf, Virginia
Rome (May, 1935) (From the Diary of Virginia Woolf) Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Argento, Dominick Woolf, Virginia
If love were all (Bitter Sweet) Swanston, Marcia, mezzo; Barnes, Peter, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Coward, Sir Noël Coward, Sir Noël