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FRANK BRIDGE
Songs:
Janice Watson/Louise
Winter/Jamie MacDougall/Gerald Finley/Roger Vignoles (piano)/Roger Chase
(viola) HYPERION
CDA67181/2 |
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When most I wink H5, If I could choose H12, The primrose H13, A Dirge
H21, The Devon Maid H25, Dawn and Evening H26, Two Heine Songs H27, Blow,
blow, thou winter wind H33, Go not, happy day H34, Night lies on the silent
highways H36, A dead violet H38, Cradle song H46, Lean close they cheek H50,
Fair daffodils H51, Adoration H57, So perverse H6, Tears, idle tears H62,
The Violets Blue H70, Come to me in my dreams H71, My pent-up tears oppress
my brain H72, Three songs H76, All things we clasp H77, Love is a rose H81,
Dear, when I look into thine eyes H85, Isobel H102, O that it were so! H105,
Strew no more ../graphics/red roses H109, Where she lies asleep H113, Love went a-riding
H114, Thy hand in mine H124, So early in the morning,O H130, Mantle of Blue
H131, The last invocation H136, When you are old and gray H142, Into her
keeping H143, What shall I your true love tell? H145 'Tis but a week H146,
Three Tagore songs H164, Goldenhair H165, Journey's end H167.
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Almost two-thirds of Frank Bridges sixty or so songs belong to his
early years - that is, up until about 1907/8. The general consensus (Anthony
Payne, Professor Banfield, and here in the excellent sleeve notes by Michael
Pilkington) is that Bridge, rather less well read in literature than his
compatriots, wrote thoroughly professional songs which however probe none
too deeply into the inner meanings of the verses he chose to set (many of
which appear to have been selected by, or to please, his teacher Stanford.)
Whatever the truth of that may be there is no doubt at all that, amongst
those earlier songs that belong convincingly to the Edwardian salon, there
are many of great charm and beauty. Bridge was mostly interested in instrumental
composition, though, as Michael Pilkington points out, he still elected to
write songs even although they remained unpublished for a considerable time
and must thus have experienced some poetic compulsion. It is perhaps true
to say that the finest of his songs (from that standpoint) are also now the
most popular and well-known - Go not, happy day, Een as a lovely
flower, Come to me in my dreams and the astonishing Love went
a-riding.
It is well known that, in the Piano Sonata of 1921/24, written in response
to the death in action in 1918 of Ernest Farrar, Bridges expression
underwent a kind of sea-change. While this development is less
clearly marked in the songs, these two CDs usefully divide his vocal output,
with the first disc recognisably covering the early years - up to around
1908. It was not long before the first strophic settings gave way to a freer
treatment - favouring a varied second verse (in poems of three stanzas),
frequently returning at the end to the opening music - while setting a single
stanza or two verses entails repeating (usually) the earlier words. His choice
of poets is unusual - of these 45 songs only two each are to words of Shakespeare
and Herrick - Shelley (3), Keats (2) and Tennyson (3) are also represented.
Yet there are nine settings of Heine (written between 1903/8) and four of
Matthew Arnold. Both the latter occur roughly within certain periods, which
does suggest that Bridge reacted musically to these particular poets.
The poems overall are in the main love songs - often melancholy, though the
emotion is not oppressive. There are echoes of John Ireland and of Quilter
- but the obvious influence is of German lieder. I hear echoes particularly
of Joseph Marx (curiously Bridges unfinished Allegretto for viola and
piano resembles quite closely the fugal subject in the 4th movement of
Marxs A major Violin Sonata.) There is also a markedly French influence
in the expressive modulations which are very reminiscent of Fauré.
The first disc concludes with the three songs for voice and viola
- with the expressive instrumental obbligato pointing the emotion even more
cogently than the vocal line - foreshadowing in its intensity the sonorities
of the 1917 Cello Sonata - surely one of the loveliest chamber works in British
music.
The second disc contains only three songs from this earlier period - and
after 1908, no further songs appea../graphics/red until 1912 - and by 1913 (with Strew
no more roses (Arnold) and When she lies sleeping (Mary Coleridge))
foreshadowings of the mature Bridge become clearer. Almost as if the discovery
of Mary Coleridges verses set something free, the next song (May 1914)
is Love went ariding, a song unique in his pre-war output
(tho So early in the Morning shares something of this ecstasy).
The developing freedom of harmony and form of the next few songs is evident,
although Tis but a week (to words by Gerald Gould) seems to hint
retrospectively at his earlier settings of Dawn and Evening and Come
to me in my Dreams) Apart from a brief and curious throwback in Joyces
Goldenhair this development reaches its peak in the fine settings
of Tagore, with their rhythmic, harmonic and melodic freedom. Here the theme
of hopelessly tragic love is fully expressed - with only the
final Journeys End (Humbert Wolfe) to suggest a final and totally
negative mood. There were to be no more songs
says Pilkington.
The composer is well served in this recording. Not many will have had the
chance to consider Bridges songs in isolation - and the committed soloists
sing quite beautifully - with a sensitive accompaniment as we would expect
from Roger Vignoles, and richly expansive playing from the violist, Roger
Chase. This is a must for all lovers of English song.
Reviewer
Colin Scott-Sutherland
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Reviewer
Colin Scott-Sutherland |
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