Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss

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Written in the late 1920s when he was at the height of his powers, The Poisoned Kiss is Vaughan Williams's forgotten opera: this is the first complete recording. The composer chose his friend... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 17th Oct 2003
Catalogue No: CHAN10120
Label: Chandos
Length: 1 hour 55 minutes

Gramophone Magazine

January 2004

Editor's Choice

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Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss

Work length7:10

$1.60

$1.95

Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Overture

Track length7:10

$1.60

$1.95

Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss, Act I

Work length37:01

$17.85

$22.10

Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, James Gilchrist, Neal Davies, Roderick Williams, Pamela Helen Stephen, John Graham-Hall, Janice Watson, Adrian Partington Singers, Richard Suart, Mark Richardson

Secret are the sounds (Dipsacus, Chorus)

Track length2:43

$1.05

$1.30

What's that? (Gallanthus)

Track length1:38

$1.05

$1.30

Day is dawning (Angelica, Gallanthus)

Track length5:54

$1.05

$1.30

It's really time… (Gallanthus, Angelica)

Track length3:07

$1.05

$1.30

Here we come… (Hob, Lob, Gob, Dipsacus, Chorus)

Track length2:24

$1.05

$1.30

I'm a sorcerer bold (Dipsacus, Angelica, Hob, Lob, Gob)

Track length1:54

$1.05

$1.30

It's true I'm inclined… (Amaryllus, Tormentilla)

Track length2:41

$1.05

$1.30

Hush, lovely cobra (Tormentilla, Angelica, Amaryllus, Gallanthus)

Track length2:04

$1.05

$1.30

Desist, lest you die! (Amaryllus, Tormentilla, Gallanthus, Angelica)

Track length0:59

$1.05

$1.30

I know we see… (Amaryllus, Tormentilla)

Track length0:10

$1.05

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Blue larkspur in a garden (Amaryllus, Tormentilla)

Track length3:01

$1.05

$1.30

Who's in my forest? (Dipsacus)

Track length0:15

$1.05

$1.30

North wind, south wind (Dipsacus, Hob, Gob, Lob, Tenor, Basses)

Track length1:01

$1.05

$1.30

Angelica? (Tormentilla, Angelica)

Track length0:29

$1.05

$1.30

O come to our arms (Amaryllus, Gallanthus, Tormentilla, Angelica, Dipsacus, Hob, Gob, Lob, Chorus)

Track length2:37

$1.05

$1.30

O who would be… (Tormentilla)

Track length2:49

$1.05

$1.30

All is ready! (Dipsacus, Hob, Gob, Lob, Angelica, Tormentilla, Chorus)

Track length3:15

$1.05

$1.30

Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss, Act II

Work length37:53

$13.65

$16.90

Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Adrian Partington Singers, Pamela Helen Stephen, John Graham-Hall, Gail Pearson, Janice Watson, Richard Suart, Roderick Williams, Helen Williams, Emer McGilloway, James Gilchrist, Mark Richardson

Introduction

Track length1:04

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$1.30

Here we come (Chorus)

Track length1:47

$1.05

$1.30

By all the powers (Angelica, Chorus)

Track length3:36

$1.05

$1.30

Ho there! (Lob, Hob, Gob)

Track length1:56

$1.05

$1.30

It does not appear… (Angelica, Gallanthus)

Track length2:17

$1.05

$1.30

If you want to escape (Three Mediums)

Track length3:04

$1.05

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Tormentilla! Tormentilla! (Chorus)

Track length2:24

$1.05

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There was… (Tormentilla, Angelica, Hob, Gob, Lob)

Track length5:40

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Twas here it bade… (Amaryllus, Angelica, Gallanthus, Hob, Gob, Lob, Chorus)

Track length4:08

$1.05

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Dear love, behold… (Amaryllus)

Track length3:07

$1.05

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Sleeping or waking (Tormentilla, Amaryllus)

Track length1:27

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You must not kiss me (Tormentilla, Amaryllus, Hob, Gob, Lob, Chorus)

Track length4:23

$1.05

$1.30

Too dark for me… (Tormentilla, Angelica, Gallanthus, Amaryllus, Hob, Gob, Lob, Chorus)

Track length3:00

$1.05

$1.30

Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss, Act III

Work length33:38

$14.70

$18.20

Richard Hickox, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Pamela Helen Stephen, Gail Pearson, Anne Collins, Roderick Williams, Helen Williams, Janice Watson, Adrian Partington Singers, Emer McGilloway, James Gilchrist, Neal Davies, John Graham-Hall, Richard Suart, Mark Richardson

Introduction

Track length1:13

$1.05

$1.30

Behold our mystic (Three Mediums)

Track length3:25

$1.05

$1.30

Monstrous vision! (Empress, Three Mediums)

Track length1:28

$1.05

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When I was young… (Empress)

Track length2:48

$1.05

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You can leave us (Empress, Three Mediums)

Track length0:43

$1.05

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Is my love alive? (Tormentilla, Empress, Amaryllus)

Track length0:28

$1.05

$1.30

Love breaks all rules… (Empress, Tormentilla, Amaryllus)

Track length3:25

$1.05

$1.30

Imps and Demons (Empress, Chorus)

Track length2:24

$1.05

$1.30

Come, O gentle powers (Empress, Tormentilla, Amaryllus, Dipsacus)

Track length5:36

$1.05

$1.30

Can you, can you remember (Empress, Dipsacus)

Track length2:40

$1.05

$1.30

Love in a hut (Tormentilla, Empress, Amaryllus, Dipsacus)

Track length1:21

$1.05

$1.30

Horrid monster! (Three Mediums, Hob, Lob, Gob)

Track length2:36

$1.05

$1.30

It's the proper thing to do (Gallanthus, Angelica)

Track length1:58

$1.05

$1.30

Love has conquered! (Tormentilla, Amaryllus, Gallanthus, Angelica, Dipsacus, Empress, Three Mediums, Hob, Gob, Lob, Chorus)

Track length3:33

$1.05

$1.30

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Written in the late 1920s when he was at the height of his powers, The Poisoned Kiss is Vaughan Williams's forgotten opera: this is the first complete recording. The composer chose his friend Evelyn Sharp to write a libretto based on a short story by Richard Garnett about a beautiful princess who lives on poison. But the verse treatment is deplorable. Though the pair had in mind the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, the result is coy and self-conscious, never witty or pointed in a Gilbertian way. Vaughan Williams made revisions in 1936 and 1955, but there are still too many embarrassingly unfunny lines. This recording helps to rehabilitate the opera by eliminating virtually all the spoken dialogue.
Neither Vaughan Williams nor Sharp could work out the right balance between comedy and the central romance – the love between Prince Amaryllus and Tormentilla, brought up on poison by her magician father, Dipsacus.
Though planned as a light opera, the music has substance. The score is rich in ideas; each number is beautifully tailored, never outstaying its welcome. At almost two hours of music, it has to be said that the opera is too long (and it would be even longer with dialogue), but the inspiration never flags.
Charm predominates, with tender melodies like that in the Act 1 duet of Amaryllus and Tormentilla, 'Blue larkspur in a garden', and a surging emotional climax in the ensemble which crowns Act 2, when their love leads to the passionate poisoned kiss. There are direct echoes of Sullivan in the multi-layered ensembles and patter numbers, which come closest to achieving the lightness aimed at.
Whatever the shortcomings of the piece, no lover of Vaughan Williams's music should miss hearing this wonderful set, with a strong and characterful cast superbly led by Richard Hickox, and with atmospheric sound enhancing the musical delights. Janice Watson as Tormentilla sings with sweetness and warmth, while giving point to the poisonous side of the character, and James Gilchrist makes an ardent Amaryllus.
Pamela Helen Stephen and Roderick Williams are totally affecting in their love music, and Neal Davies is firm and strong as the magician Dipsacus.

Offer,Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss

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