A day for English song
Today marks the release of an important addition to the Naxos UK catalogue. The English Song Collection is the culmination of a series begun by the Collins Classics back in 1995. Its 25 volumes are a comprehensive guide to English song from the early 20th century through to the start of the 21st, with composers ranging from George Butterworth and Liza Lehmann to Ian Venables and Jonathan Dove.
The are the cornerstone works of English song are all present, from Vaughan Williams (the peerless On Wenlock Edge), Warlock (his mysterious cycle The Curlew), Butterworth (the poignant 6 Songs from A Shropshire Lad) and Britten (a large collection including all the folksongs and the wonderfully descriptive Winter Words).
Performances range from definitive versions by tenors Philip Langridge and Anthony Rolfe-Johnson to our finest living singers, including Roderick Williams and Elin Manahan Thomas. Williams and his regular partner, pianist Iain Burnside, contribute special discs of songs by Finzi and Ireland, while Christopher Maltman and Susan Gritton’s accounts of Holst, with pianist Steuart Bedford, should not be missed.
There are other important, lesser-known composers deserving of their time in the spotlight. Liza Lehmann’s fresh compositions are a tonic, while the music of Jonathan Dove, Arthur Somervell, Ian Venables and William Alwyn really should be better known.
The set rewards longer listening but dipping in for five minutes or so works too – and so far I have found it to be full of surprises, in a good way. If you have an interest in English song, it is highly recommended – and beautifully packaged, too! For more details, click below...
Mini-site: https://www.naxos.com/ECard/2021/The-English-Song-Collection/music.html
YouTube trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR04buYabCE
Purchase: https://naxos.lnk.to/8502507UK!EM