The Jade Mountain - Songs by Edmund Rubbra

The Jade Mountain - Songs by Edmund Rubbra

CHAN 20182 (Chandos Records, CD)

FIRST RELEASE (3 March 2023)

Playing time: 72'47"
Tracks: 34
Booklet pages: 44
℗ 2023 Chandos Records Ltd
© 2023 Chandos Records Ltd
Main country of recording: United Kingdom
Reviewer: Geoff Pearce
Review of The Jade Mountain - Songs by Edmund Rubbra published on 20 April 2023

Lucy Crowe, soprano (tracks 5-7, 10, 15-16, 19-26 and 29-30)
Claire Barnett-Jones, mezzo-soprano (tracks 1-2, 12-14, 17-18 and 31-34)
Marcus Farnsworth, baritone (tracks 3-4, 8-9, 27-28 and 34)
Timothy Ridout, viola (tracks 17-18)
Catrin Finch, harp (tracks 20-26)
Iain Burnside, piano (tracks 1-11, 15-18 and 27-34)

Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986):

Four Short Songs for Medium Voice
1 Rosa mundi, Op 2 (1921)
2 Cradle Song, Op 8 No 1 (1923)

3 Nod (1921)

Four Short Songs for Medium Voice
4 Orpheus with his lute, Op 8 No 2 (1923)

5 Who is Silvia?, Op 8 No 3 (1923)

6 Out in the dark, Op 13 No 1 (1925)

7 It was a lover, Op 13 No 3 (1925)

8 The Night, Op 14 (1925)

9 Rune of Hospitality, Op 15 (1925, revised 1970)

10 A Duan of Barra, Op 20 (1928)

11 A widow bird sate mourning, Op 28 (1930)

12 A Prayer, Op 17 No 1 (1926)

Two Songs, Op 22 (1928)
13 Take, O take those lips away
14 Why so pale and wan?

15 In Dark Weather, Op 33 (1932)

16 Invocation to Spring, Op 17 No 2 (1926)

Two Sonnets by William Alabaster, Op 87 (1955)
17 Upon the Crucifix
18 On the Reed of Our Lord's Passion

Two Songs, Op 4 (1922)
19 The Mystery
20 Jesukin

21 A Hymn to the Virgin, Op 13 No 2 (1925)

The Jade Mountain, Op 116 (1962) - Five Songs for Harp and High Voice
22 A Night Thought on Terrace Tower
23 On Hearing Her Play the Harp
24 An Autumn Night Message
25 A Song on the Southern River
26 Farewell to a Japanese Buddhist Priest bound Homeward

27 Nocturne, Op 54 (1941)

28 Salve, Regina, Op 119 (1962)

29 No Swan So Fine Op 91 (1956)

30 Fly Envious Time, Op 148 (1974)

Three Psalms, Op 61 (1946) for Low Voice and Piano
31 Psalm 6
32 Psalm 23
33 Psalm 150

34 Dear Liza, Op 7 (c1924, published 1928)

Whilst the English composer Edmund Rubbra is best known for his symphonic output, he composed a good deal of vocal music, and wrote songs throughout his compositional life. Rubbra studied with Cyril Scott and Gustav Holst, and was a great friend of his contemporary Gerald Finzi. The songs are notable for their variation in accompaniment (less than half are set for piano, the rest for harp, string quartet, string orchestra, or full orchestra). This album contains all his published songs with piano and harp accompaniment, and includes the first and last songs of the composer's output. Lucy Crowe, Claire Barnett-Jones, and Marcus Farnsworth are the three singers on the album, Catrin Finch (harp) and Iain Burnside (piano) the accompanists. Timothy Ridout (viola) joins for the Two Sonnets by William Alabaster, Op 87.

Recorded 6, 7 and 23 February 2022 at Potton Hall, Dunwich, Suffolk, UK.