Susan Gritton sings Britten, Finzi and Delius

Susan Gritton Sings Finzi, Britten and Delius

Susan Gritton (Soprano)

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Edward Gardner

The Musical Director of ENO here conducts a superb programme of works by three English composers.

The quintessence of Finzi, Dies natalis sets texts by the seventeenth-century poet Thomas Traherne, which reflect the joy and wonder of a newborn child’s innocent perspective on the world. The richly textured, resourceful string writing and the long melodic lines are hallmarks of Finzi’s style. The subtle inflections of the word-setting and lyricism have attracted many leading vocalists both in concert and on disc. Although particularly associated with the tenor voice, Dies natalis was premiered by a soprano, and it is increasingly performed with the original voice type.

Here, for the first time on disc, is the version of Delius’s A Late Lark for soprano voice and it is currently the only available recording of the work. A setting of W.E. Henley’s poem ‘I.M. Margaritæ Sorori’, it offers a lovely lyrical reflection of the serene acceptance of death and is especially poignant as it was one of Delius’s last works. Eric Fenby, Delius’s friend and amanuensis, recalls that one day after he had read the poem through to Delius, ‘and had finished playing his setting, [Delius] said, “Yes, that is how I want to go.”’

Susan Gritton, one of Britain’s leading lyric sopranos, who also appears on Chandos’ Grammy Award© winning recording of Paul Bunyan, here includes the Quatre Chansons françaises, the most significant work of Britten’s juvenilia. The songs, to texts by Verlaine and Hugo, were composed between June and August 1928 when Britten was a mere fourteen, and demonstrate the flair for instrumental colour that was to become the hallmark of the mature composer. The album is completed by the later song cycle Les Illuminations which offers a further development in his exploration of the orchestral song cycle, a genre that Britten was to make very much his own during his career.

Reviews

“…These performances make strong cases for all these works and also provide a fine platform for the many facets of Susan Gritton’s voice.”

Richard Nicholson

theclassicalsource.com - 7 June 2010

                         “Gramophone Recommends”

“Gritton and Gardner provide thrills aplently in these sensitive accounts.” “All in all, a very positive recommendation.”

Andrew Achenbach

Gramophone - July 2010

                 “Recording of the Fortnight”

“An English sense of pastoral lyricism runs through all three works but they represent very different challenges and each, from first note to last, is gloriously performed here.”   *****

Phillip Sommerich

______________________________

Gerald Finzi

Dies natalis, Op.8

1 I Intrada. Andante con moto - 5:11

2 II Rhapsody (Recitativo stromentato). Andante con moto 7:19

3 III The Rapture (Danza). Allegro vivace e giojoso 4:00

4 IV Wonder (Arioso). Andante 4:55

5 V The Salutation (Aria). Tempo comodo 4:23

 

  Benjamin Britten 

Les Illuminations, Op.18

  for soprano or tenor and string orchestra

  For Sophie Wyss

6 I Fanfare. Maestoso (poco presto) - 2:00

7 II Villes. Allegro energico 2:32

8 IIIA Phrase. Lento ed estatico - 1:01

9 IIIB Antique. To K.H.W.S. Allegretto, un poco mosso 1:59

10 IV Royauté. Allegro maestoso 1:41

11 V Marine. Allegro con brio 1:06

12 VI Interlude. To E.M. Moderato ma comodo - 2:54

13 VII Being Beauteous. To P.N.L.P. Lento ma comodo 4:18

14 VIII Parade. Alla marcia 2:56

15 IX Départ. Largo mesto 2:31

 

Quatre Chansons françaises

  for high voice and orchestra

  Edited by Colin Matthews

16 1 Nuits de juin. Lento e molto rubato 3:02

17 2 Sagesse. Lento ma non troppo 3:14

18 3 L'Enfance. Animato - Lento 4:42

19 4 Chanson d'automne. Moderato con molto moto ma sempre colla voce 2:15

 

  Frederick Delius 

20 A Late Lark 5:20

  Edited by Sir Thomas Beecham and Eric Fenby

  Prepared for publication by Robert Threlfall

  Slow