St Martin’s Voices
Anchored by choral cycles from three quintessentially British composers of the last century, the programme takes us round the British Isles on a kaleidoscopic musical and poetic journey. An evening reminding ourselves of our islands’ musical heritage will be an evocative one. Centuries-old folk tunes and favourite pieces of verse we’ve held within us since childhood can’t fail to bring back to life half-remembered stories, together with the thoughts and feelings that went with them at the time. But those elements from the past that survive and pass the test of time become – as the pieces in the programme from living composers attest – very much part of the present as well.
Between the musical items, Zeb Soanes will be reading poetry by Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexander Pope, John Clare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, WH Auden, William Blake and Christina Rossetti
Programme
Henry Purcell Fairest Isle
Ralph Vaughan Williams Five English Folk Songs
- The dark-eyed sailor
- The springtime of the year
- Just as the tide was flowing
- The lover’s ghost
- Wassail song
James MacMillan The gallant weaver
Kristina Arakelyan My true love is parted from me
Michael Tippett Four Songs from the British Isles
- Early one morning
- Lilliburlero
- Poortith cauld
- Gwenllian
Gordon Jacob (arr.) The ash grove
Benjamin Britten Five Flower Songs
- To daffodils
- The succession of the four sweet months
- Marsh flowers
- The evening primrose
- The ballad of green broom
Sarah Quartel The parting glass
Kerry Andrew All things are quite silent
Cecilia McDowall How sour sweet music is from When time is broke
Grayston Ives (arr.) All through the night
Gustav Holst (arr.) I love my love
Sarah Rimkus Charlie is my darling