Peter Pears (tenor), Benjamin Britten (piano) (Decca) This is a key which, as John Bridcut points out, gives more of a ‘black key’ feel to the piece and is much less open. It is easy to see why this was a first choice for Britten – Pears’ voice fits it perfectly, especially with the key set as G flat major. There is a deep sense of longing in the harmonies Britten chooses to go with the tune here, and he achieves this as early as possible in the piano introduction, despite the words remaining largely positive until the revelation at the end that ‘now I am full of tears’. The Salley Gardens is simple and moving, a truly yearning song that makes the most of its beautiful melody. This is one of the best-loved of all Britten’s arrangements, and as a result the composer arranged it for a number of forces – singer and orchestra and unison chorus with piano being two of the most popular. They were begun in New York when the composer was undergoing a bout of homesickness, but The Salley Gardens is the first in a long list of many folksong arrangements made by Britten, right up until the year of his death. Salley Gardens (Jamie MacDougall (tenor), Malcolm Martineau (piano) The Salley Gardens (Irish Tune) (Folksong Arrangements, Volume 1 no.1 (British Isles)) – folksong arrangement for high or medium voice and piano (pre 11 December 1940, Britten aged 27)ĭedication Clytie Mundy (Peter Pears’ teacher in New York) ![]() Photo (c) Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service (Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |