Philippe Sly: The complete "The house of life" (Vaughan Williams)
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- Опубликовано: 6 авг 2024
- The house of life (1903):
I. Love-sight 00:00
II. Silent noon 04:43
III. Love's minstrels 08:34
IV. Heart's haven 13:59
V. Death in love 16:50
VI. Love's last gift 21:11
Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872-1958) -composer
Philippe Sly -baritone
Michael McMahon -piano
Playlist: "The art of British song: Elgar, Somervell, Williams, Finzi..": • The art of British son...
Score: conquest.imslp.info/files/imgl...
In the first few years of the twentieth century, Vaughan Williams set quite a lot of verse by Dante Gabriel Rossetti to music (he also set a few poems by Rossetti's younger sister, Christina). The most ambitious of these settings are the cantata for voice and piano Willow-Wood of 1903, and the song cycle The House of Life, which was first performed in London on December 2, 1904 by soprano Edith Clegg and pianist Hamilton Harty. Vaughan Williams's other song cycle of 1904, Songs of Travel, was premiered at this same concert.
Despite the interest of composers like Vaughan Williams and Claude Debussy, the poetry of Rossetti isn't the most conducive to musical settings. While the rhythms and, as one critic would have it, the "voluptuousness" of the poetry are more than interesting enough from a composer's standpoint, there is little imagery that might lend itself to musical imitation. This might explain the slightly self-conscious quality of The House of Life, especially as compared to the more robust settings of Robert Louis Stevenson in Songs of Travel.
The cycle opens with "Love-Sight"; in an easy triple meter, it builds to a big climax with "The ground-whirl of the perished leaves of Hope, / The wind of Death's imperishable wing." The song closes with a lovely piano postlude. "Silent Noon" calmly evokes the imagery of a lazy summer's day "when twofold silence was the song of love." Perhaps the most ambitious song of the set is "Love's Minstrels," with its rhythmic freedom, its passionate arpeggios accompanying the second verse, and the solo piano's prologue and epilogue. Both "Heart's Haven" and "Death in Love" are rather grandiose -- perhaps too large of gesture for the intimacy of the poetry. Vaughan Williams fans can, however, hear certain anticipations, particularly in the latter song, of A Sea Symphony, on which he was starting work at about this time. The cycle ends on a restrained note with "Love's Last Gift." While the song is on the conventional side, there is a nice evocation of the "warm sea," and some interesting and unusual harmonies for "those worse things the wind is moaning of."
Source: www.allmusic.com/composition/t...
Buy the CD here: www.amazon.com/Loves-Minstrels...
A lovely, lovely thing... A lovely voice, a lovely composition, both new to me, perfectly matched. I'm listening over and again. Enraptured.
The Thomas Allen recording of this cycle is one of my touchstones. I was expecting to compare this version very unfavorably -- but in fact Philippe Sly brings a flexibility and freshness -- and brisker tempo -- that has really made me hear the songs differently. I'm truly surprised.
I wouldn't say that he has displaced Thomas Allen as my favorite, but he has certainly reminded me that the great repertoire has room for many interpretations.
The older I get, the more greatness I see in Vaughn Williams music, and this early song cycle constitutes a great beginning for work that continued to unfold in depth and profundity until is death. Great. Great. Thanks for posting.
we should do some of these ??
Would love to do some of these with you, Joe.
Everything about this singer gives me hope for the future of singing. Thank you!
"...thy twilight hidden glimmering visage lies..."
Something about the way he sings that line (and Love-SIght as a whole) really warms my soul.
Très belle interprétation de ce cycle de Vaughn Williams, qu'on connaissait déjà par Sir Thomas Allen et, en partie, les trois premiers poèmes, par Stephen Varcoe. Philippe Sly n'a rien à leur envier, beauté du timbre, souffle, puissance, stabilité, et style, il a tout, sachant de plus conférer à certain poème une "intimité" inattendue mais qui sert la musique autant que le texte. Rien de plus difficile aussi que de paraître naturel, comme il le fait, dans cet art si particulier de la mélodie, du lied. Bravo Philippe Sly !
Et merci GilPiotr d'avoir posté ceci, ce qui incitera à acheter le CD de Philippe Sly: il faut soutenir les artistes !!!
ideal voice for this music and the collaboration with the pianist is a perfect match. I am very impressed
Beautiful performance of a beautiful song cycle. Vaughan Williams wrote so eloquently for the voice!
wow, what a wonderful singer, great voice. Thanks
I knew "On Wenlock Edge" from previously, and have just heard this for the first time. It is absolutely breathtaking. I sat there for 25 minutes listening with my jaw on the floor. This is chamber music at its best. Thank you for posting it!
just a perfect resonance, and wonderful artistry. Thank you for your hard work and discipline to bring this work of art to us.
Love-sight is absolutely sublime
His placement on "billowing" at 5:27 is just masterful.
Stunningly beautiful.
No one does this cycle better! So beautiful!
Your uploads on the subject of English music are much appreciated--thank you
Gorgeous music, and *beautifully* sung and played. It should be heard far more than just for the second song "Silent Noon" which is, of course, a masterpiece in and of itself.
Bravo Philippe!
very pleasant voice! Thank you
A great bass baritone, a new example of 21st century performance.
So touchable Song and piano. Bravi.
Fantastic artistry.
Hello Ms. Baker - I first heard his work "Lark Ascending" and then the "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" - with those two I caught his genius. I agree with Mr. Doughty about his depth.
Beautiful voice..
Magnifique ! mille mercis .
This lovely performance from Philippe Sly and Michael McMahon has inspired me to work on these songs (as a tenor.) I had only sung Silent Noon previously. Thank you so much for posting this.
Recuerdo aquel verano en Normandía que tanto disfrutamos de huertas y praderas. Cada mañana gritabas al viento tu amor por quien meses más tarde te causaría quebranto y, en aquella ensoñación de amor correspondido, yo rememoraba los versos de Dante Gabriel Rossetti. «Tus manos se abren a la abundante y fresca hierba,/ tal capullos rosados, parecen brotar las yemas de tus dedos./ Tu mirada sonríe a la quietud. Se oscurece y reluce la pradera/ bajo el cielo de nubes que se apiñan y dispersan». Escucha, decías, hasta el follaje me sisea: ¡ella es tu bien! -Dulce y fatal quimera.
magnificent voice and performance
You sing Silent noon beautifully.
Lovely lovely voice.
The cycle of songs is entitled, "The House of Life." Text by Dante Gabriel Rosetti
Nice work!!
Matchless!
he has the sexiest voice i know ... just in love with him
It's the hair!
@@hrh4961 He's a refugee from a boy band.
:) danke!!
Lovely!
+Roxanne Bedard Ça c'est vrai ma Roxanne.
+Fred Leduc LOL. J'ai rien d'autre à dire.
I Love this and I’d like to know who is accompanying in this sublime recording. It is a masterful union.
I believe the pianist is Michael McMahon
@@karengengler7872 oh so the same as the shakespeare songs
Vaughan Williams is a wonderful composer whose works are very little known.
What a foolish thing to say.
@@hrh4961 Maybe they're better known where you live. Not here.
@@drbarbarabaker I'm shocked; and so sorry to hear that.
@@hrh4961 No need to be rude.
@@phwbooth I was certainly not being rude to Barbara Baker, but empathizing.
I'm thinking it would be interesting to know where she lives. Eritrea? Vanuatu?
唱得好
Perhaps worth noting that all of the poems are sonnets.
4:40
Yo que se. La vida se deja amenazar por nada . El Sol ? Es cobarde .