Shakespeare and Cervantes 2016:

a 400th anniversary celebration

St Stephen’s Church College Road, London SE21

Saturday 21 May 2016, 8.00pm www.dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk

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Saturday 21 May 2016, 8.00pm _________________________________ St Stephen’s Church, College Road, London SE21 Shakespeare and Cervantes 2016: a 400th anniversary celebration Thomas Linley the Younger (1756–1778) A Lyric Ode on the Fairies, Aerial Beings and Witches of Shakespeare

Chorus: Be Shakespeare born Chorus: Some drive the clam’rous owl away

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) Don Quichotte a Dulcinée

Chanson Romanesque Chanson épique Chanson à boire

Rodolfo Halffter (1900–1987) Tres Epitafios (Three Epitaphs) Op 17

For the tomb of Don Quixote For the tomb of Dulcinea For the tomb of Sancho Panza

Gerald Finzi (1901–1956) Let us garlands bring Op 18

Come Away, Come Away, Death Who is Sylvia? Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun O Mistress Mine It Was a Lover and His Lass

Thomas Linley the Younger (1756–1778) A Lyric Ode on the Fairies, Aerial Beings and Witches of Shakespeare (cont.)

Bass aria: But oh! what sudden gloom Bass recitative: See through the glimmering darkness Chorus: What howling whirlwinds Bass aria: Whither ye beldames Chorus: The tempests cease Chorus: Yet fancy once again

Gareth Brynmor John baritone Leanne Singh-Levett piano Dulwich Choral Society Aidan Oliver conductor Tonight’s performance will run continuously without an interval. Drinks and light refreshments will be available in the Millennium Hall after the performance.

Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Linley, the Younger

(1772) © By permission of the Trustees of Dulwich Picture

Gallery.

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TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS Thomas Linley the Younger (1756–1778) A Lyric Ode on the Fairies, Aerial Beings and Witches of Shakespeare Chorus: Be Shakespeare born Be Shakespeare born And now is come the fated hour, Earth now shall see and own thy pow’r, Forth beaming in the sun. Be Shakespeare born And now is come the fated hour, Earth now shall see and own thy pow’r, Forth beaming in the sun. Chorus: Some drive the clam’rous owl away Some drive the clam’rous owl away, That nightly wonders at their play. Some pant with nobler war T’invade the hostile rear-mice crew, And sheath’d in glitt’ring arms of filmy dew. Their spears of thorn erect Round Ob’ron’s nutshell car. The concert proceeds with the pieces by Ravel, Halffter and Finzi before returning to the Linley text as follows. Bass aria: But oh! what sudden gloom But oh! what sudden gloom What horror overcasts the low’ring day! Why yawns that shagged cave, whose dreary

womb Ne’er felt the genial sun’s enliv’ning ray? Black, noisome, cheerless, Lo! how all around With feeble cries the gliding spectres throng! Hark! now I hear, with hollow trem’lous

sound, The solemn mutter’d spell and horrid magic

song. Save me! What wither’d forms my soul

affright!

Bass recitative: See through the glimmering

darkness See through the glimmering darkness of the

cave. By paddock warn’d, their rites they sing. And slowly stalk in dismal ring Around the charm’d cauldron’s bubbling

wave. Chorus: What howling whirlwinds What howling whirlwinds rend the sky! Why shakes the ivy-mantled tow’r? The conscious sun turns back his eye, And nature, trembling, owns their pow’r. What howling whirlwinds rend the sky! Why shakes the ivy-mantled tow’r? The conscious sun turns back his eye, And nature, trembling, owns their pow’r. Bass aria: Whither ye beldames Whither ye beldames do ye roam? Love ye Lapland’s gothic night? None now shall tread the cavern’s gloom, Nor spy your dreadful mystic rite. Chorus: The tempests cease The tempests cease, the charm’d Deep sinks before the sound; A purer glory dawns around, Soft sigh the list’ning gales, And all is peace. The tempests cease, the charm’d Deep sinks before the sound; A purer glory dawns around, Soft sigh the list’ning gales, And all is peace. Chorus: Yet, fancy, once again Yet, fancy, once again on Britain smile, Yet choose some fav’rite son again, O’er all they boundless realms to reign. O give another Shakespeare to our isle! Yet, fancy, once again on Britain smile, Yet choose some fav’rite son again, O’er all they boundless realms to reign. O give another Shakespeare to our isle!

French Lawrence (1757–1809)

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Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) Don Quichotte a Dulcinée Chanson romanesque Moderato Si vous me disiez que la terre a tant tourner vous offensa, je luis dépêcherais Pança: vous la verriez fixe et se taire. Si vous me disiez que l’ennui vous vient du ciel trop fleuri d’astres, déchirant les divins cadastres, je faucherais d’un coup la nuit. Si vous me disiez que l’espace ainsi vidé ne vous plaît point, chevalier Dieu, la lance au poing, j’étoilerais le vent qui passe. Mais si vous disiez que mon sang est plus à moi qu’à vous ma Dame, je blêmirais dessous le blâme et je mourrais vous bénissant. O Dulcinée. Chanson épique Molto moderato Bon Saint Michel qui me donnez loisir de voir ma Dame et de l’entendre, bon Saint Michel qui me daignez choisir pour lui complaire et la défendre, bon Saint Michel veuillez descendre avec Saint Georges sur l’autel de la Madone au bleu mantel. D’un rayon du ciel bénissez ma lame et son égale en pureté et son égale en piété comme en pudeur et chasteté: Ma Dame. (O grands Saint Georges et Saint Michel) L’ange qui veille sur ma veille,

Romantic Song dedicated to Robert Cousinou If you were to tell me that the earth with all its turning, offended you, I would dispatch (Sancho) Panza there; you would see it fixed and silent. If you were to tell me that you grew annoyed of a sky too flowery with stars, destroying the divine order, I would sweep the night away with one blow. If you were to tell me that space thus emptied, did not please you, knight of God, lance in hand, I would stud stars into the wind as it passes. But if you said that my blood is more mine than yours, my Lady, I would blanch at the reproach, and I would die, blessing you. Oh, Dulcinea. Epic Song dedicated to Martial Singher Good Saint Michael, who gives me the liberty to see my Lady and to hear her, good Saint Michael, who deigns to choose me to please her and to defend her, good Saint Michael, I pray you to descend with Saint George upon the altar of the Madonna of the blue mantle. With a beam from heaven, bless my sword and its equal in purity and its equal in piety as in modesty and chastity: my Lady! (O great Saint George and Saint Michael!) the angel who watches over my watch,

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ma douce Dame si pareille à Vous, Madone au bleu mantel! Amen. Chanson à boire Allegro Foin du bâtard, illustre Dame, qui pour me perdre à vos doux yeux dit que l’amour et le vin vieux mettent en deuil mon cœur, mon âme! Je bois à la joie! La joie est le seul but où je vais droit... lorsque j’ai bu! Foin du jaloux, brune maîtresse, qui geind, qui pleure et fait serment D’être toujours ce pâle amant qui met de l’eau dans son ivresse! Je bois à la joie! La joie est le seul but où je vais droit ... lorsque j’ai bu!

Paul Morand (1888–1976)

Rodolfo Halffter (1900–1987) Tres Epitafios (Three Epitaphs) Op 17 I. Para la sepultura de Don Quijote Yace aquí el hidalgo fuerte que a tanto extremo llegó de valiente, que se advierte que la muerte no triunfó de su vida con su muerte. Tuvo a todo el mundo en poco; fue el espantyajo y el coco del mundo, en tal coyuntura, que acreditó su ventura morir cuerdo y vivir loco. II. Para la sepultura de Dulcinea Reposa aquí Dulcinea; y, aunque de carnes rolliza, la volvió en polvo y ceniza la muerte espantable y fea.

my sweet Lady who is like you, Madonna of the blue mantle! Amen. Drinking Song dedicated to Robert Bourdin To hell with the bastard, illustrious Lady, who, to lose me in your sweet eyes says that love and old wine will bring to grief my heart and my soul! I drink to joy! Joy is the sole aim that I pursue ... when I’ve drunk! To hell with the jealous fool, dark mistress, who whines, who weeps and makes oaths to always be the pale lover who puts water into his intoxication! I drink to joy! Joy is the sole aim that I pursue ... when I’ve drunk! I. For the tomb of Don Quixote Here he lies, the Hidalgo. Both strong and valiant, To such extremes was his bravery carried, Be it noted, that no victory was Death’s Over his life when he lay dying He was scornful of most people; But in the world round about He struck terror. Thus the mission of his life Was fulfilled and accomplished: In wisdom die, and in madness live. II. For the Tomb of Dulcinea Here rests Dulcinea; Although she was both plump and stocky She was turned to dust and ashes By death most ugly and hateful.

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Fue de castiza ralea, y tuvo asomos de dama; del gran Quijote fue llama, y fue gloria de su aldea. III. Para la sepultura de Sancho Panza Sancho Panza es aquéste, en cuerpo chico, pero grande en valor, ¡milagro extraño! Escudero el más simple y sin engaño que tuvo el mundo os juro y certifico. De ser conde, no estuvo en

un tantico, si no se conjuraran en su daño insolencias y agravios del tacaño

siglo, que aún no perdonan a un borrico. Sobre él anduvo – con perdón se miente – este manso escudero, tras el manso caballo Rocinante, y tras su dueño. ¡Oh vanas esperanzas de la gente! ¡Cómo pasáis con prometer descanso, y al fin paráis en sombra, en humo, en sueño!

Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616)

She was born of wealthy people, Inclined to be quite a lady; She was Don Quixote’s passion, And the glory of her village! III. For the Tomb of Sancho Panza This is Sancho Panza, so small of body, But of great courage; Strange miracle! Simple squire, the most simple and innocent That has ever been known, in the wide world. To be honoured and knighted was nearly

granted him. If all the tricks and wiles were not against him, Insolence and slanders of an age that’s

cunning, One could forgive this in a donkey. But he rode upon it (With your pardon, I lie!) Gentle squire and so kindly, Followed after the gentle Rocinante, After his master. How vainly do you hope, you foolish people! For all your promises of peace and quiet, Your end shall be in shadows, in vapours, In sleep, in dreams!

Thomas W van Ess, adapted by Christian Grases

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Gerald Finzi (1901–1956) Let us garlands bring Op 18 Come Away, Come Away, Death Come away, come away, death, And in sad cypress let me be laid; Fly away, fly away, breath; I am slain by a fair cruel maid. My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, O prepare it! My part of death, no one so true Did share it. Not a flower, not a flower sweet, On my black coffin let there be strewn; Not a friend, not a friend greet My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown: A thousand, thousand sighs to save, Lay me, O where Sad true lover never find my grave, To weep there! Who is Sylvia? Who is Sylvia? what is she, That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair and wise is she; The heavens such grace did lend her, That she might admiréd be. Is she kind as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness. Love doth to her eyes repair, To help him of his blindness, And being helped, inhabits there. Then to Sylvia let us sing, That Sylvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing Upon the dull earth dwelling; To her let us garlands bring. Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun Fear no more the heat o’ the sun, Nor the furious winter’s rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages; Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. Fear no more the frown o’ the great; Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke: Care no more to clothe and eat; To thee the reed is as the oak: The sceptre, learning, physic, must All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; Thou hast finished joy and moan; All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renownéd be thy grave! O Mistress Mine O mistress mine, where are you roaming? O stay and hear, your true love’s coming That can sing both high and low. Trip no further, pretty sweeting; Journeys end in lovers’ meeting, Ev’ry wise man’s son doth know. What is love? ‘Tis not hereafter; Present mirth hath present laughter; What’s to come is still unsure: In delay there lies no plenty; Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty; Youth’s a stuff will not endure. It Was a Lover and His Lass It was a lover and his lass, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino That o’er the green cornfield did pass. In spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring. Between the acres of the rye, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, These pretty country folks would lie, In spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring. This carol they began that hour, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, How that a life was but a flower In spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring. And therefore take the present time With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, For love is crownéd with the prime In spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring.

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GARETH BRYNMOR JOHN

Winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award, baritone Gareth Brynmor John studied Geography at St John’s College, Cambridge, before taking a place at the Royal Academy of Music. In his final year, he won the Royal Academy of Music Patrons’ Award, was awarded the Silver Medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians and an Independent Opera Postgraduate Voice Fellowship. He is now studying at the National Opera Studio where he is supported by the Royal Opera House, Richard Carne Trust and Chris Ball. For English Touring Opera, he sang Edoardo in Donizetti’s The Siege of Calais, and understudied Marcello (La Bohème). He has also understudied Cecil (Maria Stuarda), Roderick (Usher House) and Man/Ephraimite (Moses und Aron) for Welsh National Opera. He sang Pallante (Agrippina) for Iford Arts Opera, and Sharpless (Madam Butterfly) for Bury Court Opera. With the Royal Academy Opera, his roles included Eugene Onegin, Claudio (Béatrice et Bénédict) with Sir Colin Davis, The Ferryman (Curlew River), Sprecher (Die Zauberflöte) and Sir Thomas Bertram (Mansfield Park, Jonathan Dove). Other roles include Papageno (The Magic Flute), Sid (Albert Herring), Theseus (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) for Shadwell Opera, Il Conte (Le nozze di Figaro) for the Amersham Festival, Gendarme (Les Mamelles de Tirésias), and Hymen and Sleep (The Fairy Queen). He created Carl in Gervasoni’s Limbus Limbo, which premièred at the Strasbourg Festival Musica. Next season, he will sing Schaunard (La Bohème) with Welsh National Opera.

Gareth has performed extensively on the concert platform, including with a number of the UK’s leading orchestras and ensembles including the Philharmonia, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. Recent highlights include Carmina Burana with the Bach Choir at the Royal Festival Hall, and with Hertfordshire Chorus at the Barbican; Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall; Faure’s Requiem at the Royal Albert Hall; Dream of Gerontius with the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus; Bach’s St Matthew Passion and St John Passion; Handel’s Judas Maccabeus and Alexander’s Feast; Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony; Rachmaninoff’s The Bells; and Britten’s War Requiem at Guildford and Chichester Cathedrals. Gareth has a strong interest in song repertoire and is part of the Songsmiths, and sings in the London English Song Festival. He has also given recitals at St John’s Smith Square, Wigmore Hall, Barber Institute, King’s Place, King’s Lynn Festival, Haddo Festival, Buxton Festival, Leeds Lieder and Oxford Lieder. His recording of Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden gesellen with Trevor Pinnock was recently released by Linn Records.

LEANNE SINGH-LEVETT Leanne has a varied career encompassing song, chamber music, operatic and choral repertoire. A staff pianist in the Royal College of Music Vocal Department, Leanne also coaches the Jette Parker Young Artists at the

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Royal Opera, Covent Garden. She plays for several choirs, including Kingston Choral Society, Imperial Male Voice Choir and the ViP Choir at John Lewis, and is also an accompanist and chamber music tutor in the RCM Junior Department. She has worked for opera companies including Opera East/ROH2, Opéra de Baugé, Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells and Ryedale Festival Opera. Following her studies with Roger Vignoles and Andrew Ball at the RCM, Leanne studied orchestral playing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and was a Britten Pears Young Artist. Leanne has performed in the Purcell Room, Royal Festival Hall, Cadogan Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields and the Academic Glinka Cappella in St Petersburg. She has accompanied soloists including Jeremy White and Marcus Farnsworth, and opera workshops with director Kasper Holten of the Royal Opera.

AIDAN OLIVER Aidan Oliver pursues a varied career as conductor and chorus master across the full range of operatic, symphonic and choral repertoire. As Director of Philharmonia Voices he is involved in many of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s most ambitious projects, while as conductor he holds positions at St Margaret’s

Church Westminster, the St Endellion Festival and Dulwich Choral Society. He also assists regularly on the staff of the Royal Opera House and at English National Opera, and works with many of London’s leading choirs. Projects for which Aidan has prepared Philharmonia Voices over the past year have included the choir’s BBC Proms debut and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony under Christoph von Dohnányi for the orchestra’s 70th anniversary. The choir will be making several broadcast appearances this year in the orchestra’s Myths and Rituals series of Stravinsky concerts, as well as a return to the Proms. As the Associate Conductor of the St Endellion Festival in Cornwall he has conducted works as varied as Macmillan Seven Last Words, Tchaikovsky Symphony No 5 and Wagner Wesendonck Lieder. In 2015 Aidan made his conducting debuts with both Orchestra North East and Huddersfield Choral Society, with whom he will be recording a CD of British choral music for the Signum label in 2016. As a much sought-after guest chorus master, Aidan has prepared groups including the BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Singers, Britten Sinfonia Voices and the chorus of English National Opera for numerous broadcasts and performances, including several BBC Proms. As Director of Music at St Margaret’s Westminster, Aidan directs the music for many high-profile Parliamentary occasions, including memorial services for leading public figures.

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Dulwich Choral Society

Honorary President Dame Emma Kirkby Vice Presidents His Honour Judge Michael Goodman, Roger Page

Musical Director Aidan Oliver Chairman Dr Iain Saville CBE

Accompanist David Elwin Dulwich Choral Society was founded in 1944. Today it is a thriving, friendly choir that performs at least three concerts a year, including two with professional orchestras and top-class soloists. Since 2006 Aidan Oliver, one of the UK’s leading choral conductors, has been the choir’s Musical Director. As well as giving concerts in the Dulwich area, the choir has performed more widely in central London and abroad. Since 1998 the choir has undertaken tours to Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Germany and Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our most recent overseas tour was to Portugal, where we performed in some very beautiful venues in Lisbon and Sintra. Closer to home the choir performs in several of the wonderful churches in and around Dulwich, and enjoys a strong local following.

Come and sing with us!

DCS also organises very popular ‘come and sing’ events; two more opportunities for you to sing with us will take place in St Barnabas Church, Calton Avenue, Dulwich on Saturday 17 September 2016, when we will rehearse and give an informal performance of Haydn’s Creation and also on Saturday 14 January 2017 for Bach’s St Matthew Passion. Do please come and join us for these two very exciting events! To reserve your place, please email membership@dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk.

Would you like to join us? New choir members are always welcome. If you are interested in joining the choir, please contact Jo Merry, our Membership Secretary, on 020 7737 3169 or send her an email, expressing your interest, to membership@dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk for more details. Entry is subject to an informal audition by the Musical Director who, besides a reasonable singing voice, will be looking for basic sight-reading ability and general musicality. Membership costs £165 a year and is currently free for those aged under 26 or in full-time education. Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings from 7.30 to 9.30pm at All Saints Church, Lovelace Road, West Dulwich, London SE21. The church is about 5–10 minutes’ walk from either Tulse Hill or West Dulwich stations and is served by a number of bus routes, including the 3, P13 and 201.

For further details, visit www.dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk

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Forthcoming concerts

Autumn 2016 Saturday 15 October 2016, 7:30pm

All Saints Church, West Dulwich

Haydn Creation

Christmas 2016 Monday 19 December 2016, 7:30pm

All Saints Church, West Dulwich

Christmas Carol concert

Spring 2017 Saturday 11 March 2017, 7:30pm Cadogan Hall, London SW1X 9DQ

Bach St Matthew Passion

http://dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk/wp/concerts

Dulwich Choral Society

Sopranos Nicola Alexander, Margaret Bailey, Nicola Blaney, Jackie Bowie, Sue Chandler, Kesi Courtman,

Marie Pierre Denaro, Ede Fehrenbach, Sophie Fender, Melissa de Haldevang, Cecilia Hill, Juliana Kirby, Julia Layton, Denise Lawson, Heidi Lempp, Deborah Lucas, Emily Lodge, Kassy Luto, Morven Main, Fenella Maitland-Smith, Teresa Marshall, Gemma Masriera, Amy Mount, Roszie Omoregie,

Diane Pengelly, Jenny Thomas, Jane Tippett, Jo Watt

Altos Melanie Barry, Zina Boykova, Marilyn Checkley, Helen Chown, Glenda Cornwell, Helen Graham,

Gill Hancock, Jill Harris, Gemma Hunt, Virginia Johnson, Rosemary Leonard, Jo Merry, Karen Mills, Jane Palmer, Nicola Prior, Rosemary Publicover, Lynne Ramsay, Susan Robinson, Rebecca Sloane,

Issy Schmidt, Frances Steele, Vanessa Walters, Beini Ye

Tenors Roger Atkins, Forbes Bailey, Nick Bolt, Robert Foster, Peter Frost, Jon Layton, Michael Palmer,

John Quigley, Iain Saville, Peter Swift, Nick Vaisey, Jack Wensley

Basses Andrew Black, Christopher Braun, Ian Chown, Guy Collins, Chris Dodd, Michael Faulkner, Malcolm

Field, Stephen Frost, Alex Hamilton, Michael Kenny, Adrian Lambourne, Peter Main, Barney Rayfield, Mike Shepherd

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Friends of Dulwich Choral Society

Dulwich Choral Society gratefully acknowledges the financial support it receives from its valued Friends:

Mrs Inge Kelly • June Cleall-Harding • John and Judy Clark Denise and John Lawson • Michael and Pat Goodman • Peter Thomas

Carmo Ponte • Iain Saville and Jo Merry • Nick and Kara Lawson Mrs Jennifer Tippett • Howard and Helen Moseley • June Rice

Fenella and Geoff Tily • Molly Parrott • Christine Shepherd Nat Sloane • Amanda and Andrew Carey • Guy Collins

Friends of Dulwich Choral Society comprises a group of people who enjoy coming to our concerts and social events whenever possible and who are interested in ensuring the future

stability of the choir. Supporters of the choir (and current choir members) will be warmly welcomed as new Friends.

Benefits of membership of the scheme include: • reserved seats with tickets bought through the choir • mailings of details of future programmes • a free interval drink with each ticket bought (at certain concert venues) • advance booking for concerts

Dulwich Choral Society is a registered charity with number 264764. Donations made under

Gift Aid will enable the income tax to be recovered as an additional benefit.

For more information, please contact: Fenella Maitland-Smith

5 Rockwell Gardens London SE19 1HW fenella.maitland-smith@bankofengland.co.uk

07786 060640

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